All the lectures for the day have already ended and the time has come for Zoemi to go to the spot where he will receive the punishment.

At first, Miriette wanted to go with him, but in the end, the pleading of her attendant has won her over.

The black-haired attendant asked his master to return to her room and wait for him there – the dark-haired girl didn't want to comply at first, but in the end, she really couldn't refuse her attendant's request.

Zoemi promised her a delicious dinner to appease her a little bit - after all, with saying that he was basically declaring that he will not be harmed at all – or even less than that - he won't even break a sweat!

Miriette tried to act as if agreed reluctantly – in the end, she believed that the shadow enchantment that her attendant showed her the day before could protect him from suffering any damage.

"If anything happens to you I will hate you forever!

"

Miriette waved Zoemi goodbye holding back her tears.

The black-haired attendant waved her goodbye and casually walked over to the assigned spot.

The blue-haired second prince was already waiting for him together with the extremely anxious-looking heroine.

"You really did come...

"

Surou looked surprised at which Zoemi only smiled and kneeled before him.

"My prince, I would never disregard your order.

"

"...!

"

At his words, Surou muscles stiffened and a shadow of doubt passed through his face.

|I want him on my side...! I want him on my side! I must get him to join me! He will realize that the whipping isn't doing him any harm and he will understand my intention surely – it will be just as I planned!|

The second prince thought and even reached his hand towards the kneeling attendant but then he felt Burushiitto squeezing his other arm.

Surou turned to her and met her worried eyes.

|Ah - that's right – she still doesn't know my supporter so she doesn't trust him as I do... She will be so surprised after she learned about his identity! Same with Zoemi once he will join me.|

Surou retracted his arm and smiled reassuringly.

"Everything will be alright – just follow my plan.

"

He leaned down and whispered into the blond girl's ear.

|Will this really be okay? It should be, right? This world has magic so it's not impossible for someone to actually be able to hit someone with a whip without causing any damage – right? And then I will heal his scars – with that his affection towards me should be enough to assure that he won't kill me, but not high enough so that he would start aiming for me... yes... this must be his event... uuuuu... it's still way too scary...!

"

The blond heroine thought to herself staring at the second prince and pressing hugging his arm to give herself more courage and confidence.

"Student Auequas, stand up, we don't have all day.

"

Surou declared in a prideful voice and turned his back towards Zoemi.

"As you wish, my prince.

"

The black-haired boy started obediently following after the two.

He was trying to ignore the heroine who was glancing at him time and time again.

Soon the three of them arrived at the academy's courtyard where the newly erected wooden pole was gathering the attention of students passing by.

"What do you think this is for?

"

"I don't know... I think I saw this somewhere, but I don't quite remember where... It gives me a bad feeling though...

"

"Bad feeling? It's just a big wooden pole, it's probably for the target practice or...

"

"Hey, who's that?

"

A bunch of students was talking to each other near the pole when they spotted a very tall and burly pale-blue-haired man walking slowly towards them with something rope-like in his hand.

"...!

"

"Hey Armes, why did you become so pale all of a sudden?

"

"...This... Somebody will be whipped...

"

"

"What!?

"

"

The face of one of the students became white as freshly fallen snow and then turned green immediately after.

The boy then hurriedly ran away covering his mouth with both hands and left his friends looking after him in bewilderment.

"Armes was just messing with us, right...? Th-there is no way that someone would actually be getting whipped, right...?

"

"...I'm not sure... I've heard that his father is very strict to his subjects, so maybe he witnessed someone being whipped before so maybe he knows more than we do...

"

"What!? But there's no way that they will whip somebody from our academy, right? That's ridiculous – we are all nobles here... He must be mistaken! Or... or trying to prank us!

"

"Shhh...!

"

The other student smiled nervously and asked but was shushed by their friends...

"...

"

The pale-blue-haired burly man with a whip coiled around his left arm passed their group and stopped only next to the pole.

He looked around with a bored expression and took out an old pocket watch to check the time – then put it back into his pocket and continued waiting motionlessly.

"Hmmm...?

"

Only a few minutes later when he saw three people heading his way his eyes glowed.

"...!

"

The blue-haired second prince Surou looked at the man who was supposed to do the whipping and he gulped down his saliva, intimidated by the aura surrounding the burly man who wasn't even using any spells.

|He doesn't look like he can hold back...! No... wait...! But that will make it all more believable!|

"Student Auequass, go.

"

The second prince shook off his doubt and pushed Zoemi towards the man.

"...

"

The black-haired boy didn't say anything about getting showed and instead he bowed his head towards the man with the whip.

"Good afternoon, sir.

"

"Oh...?! Ah... Yes, hello.

"

The pale-blue-haired man was clearly surprised with the politeness, usually, the response to others seeing him would be rather different...

Zoemi took off his vest and his shirt and then folded them neatly before putting them a bit behind the pole.

"Huh...?

"

"The hell – so it's not just his face?!

"

"No... no way...!

"

A few students who gathered around gasped at the sight of his trained body with many discolored spots, the remnants of the burns, then the black-haired boy turned towards the second prince and put his wrists together.

"My prince.

"

He said with an indifferent expression.

"Wha... what do you...?!

Surou fidgeted uncomfortably and glanced at him with confusion.

"The bracelets, my prince. You would definitely use them on my master, so I should have them too, right?

"

"How did you...?

"

The second prince took a step back but quickly composed himself. He indeed had prepared the ancient treasure and took them with him in case of trouble...

"You are truly too good of an attendant for that girl...

"

"My prince...?

"

Surou muttered under his breath and Zoemi tilted his head since he didn't hear him properly.

"I said that you're right.

"

The second prince cleared his throat and took out a pair of bracelets - that honestly looked rather flimsy at the first glance.

They didn't look like an ancient artifact at all, they were rather wide and made of a semi-transparent milky crystal and covered in various engravings.

But even though they didn't look like much they were indeed one of the most feared artifacts left in the entire world...

"Hold still.

"

"As you wish, my prince.

"

With skillful moves the second prince opened the bracelets and locked them on Zoemi's wrists, it was obvious that they weren't filled with the light attribute mana because they didn't teleport.

Zoemi looked at his arms and nodded.