"...nnngh...!

"

Zoemi's legs were shaking when he bent down for his shirt and vest, he knew that if he sat down he wouldn't be able to stand back up so he supported himself against the wooden pole.

When he grabbed his clothes a few drops of blood ran down his outstretched hand and dropped from his back staining the white fabric.

|...I'll have to wash them later... blood stains are... hard to... clean...|

The black-haired boy thought to himself and put everything on - he couldn't button up his shirt at all so he left it like that.

"...

"

Zoemi looked at his useless hands and realized that he still had the bracelets on.

If he left like this, the second prince might accuse him of attempting to steal the precious artifact...

"...

"

The boy barely holding on to his life turned around and slowly walked towards Surou.

"...

"

"!!!!

"

Standing before the blue-haired prince the attendant bowed his head and extended his arms.

"My prince...

"

He spoke weakly.

"...I... … … … … ou... … ...

"

Surou opened his mouth and said something but Zoemi could only hear unrecognizable babble.

"I'm terribly sorry... my prince... but my ears seem to... Not work properly right now...

"

The black-haired attendant apologized and bowed even deeper - he almost fell down but thankfully he managed to keep his balance.

"... …. … … orrible... . … …

"

"...ow could ...y...! … … ster…!

"

Zoemi started hearing a lot more of the unrecognizable babble.

He understood that it must have been other people talking, but honestly, he could barely see a few feet in front of him so he didn't know exactly how many people were watching, but judging from the babble, it was a lot – actually – it still must have been the exact same amount as before... right...?

Yes... that must have been it...

"My prince...? The bracelets...

"

Zoemi's whole body was hurting so much that he just wanted to lay down and lose consciousness but instead, he extended his arms even more and his voice broke into a pitiful cry.

"... … … - ight?! … … …or!

"

------

"Student Auuequas – are you alright?! You are an incredible actor!

"

Surou – stiff from anxiety – breathed out and tried to smile, expecting the feeble act to be just a performance – but at the same time, he knew something wasn't right when the black-haired attendant told him that he can't hear him...

The surrounding students', easily three-quarters of the student body, were gathered around and shouting abuse at the second prince for ordering this atrocity – some of them even calling him a monster - and honestly, seeing the state that Zoemi was in, Surou couldn't say anything in his own defense.

|No way... that shouldn't be right...! This was just an act, right?! It's impossible that Zoemi actually got hurt! My plan was perfect – no – it is perfect...!|

Surou trembled trying to convince himself that what he saw was just a trick...

"...my prince... the bracelets...

"

"!!!!!

"

The second prince couldn't wait any longer - Zoemi's hands were shaking so much that it was obvious he won't be able to keep them up for too long, so the blue-haired boy took off the precious artifact.

"...?

"

For some reason, they felt a bit heavier, or maybe Surou imagined them to be because of his guilty conscience.

"Thank you... my prince...

"

Zoemi smiled at him turned away and started heading towards the dormitory.

"...!

"

Surou covered his mouth with his hand in horror when he saw the back of the attendant.

The blood was sipping even through his vest in a grotesque manner.

"S-sir Zoemi...!

"

Burushiitto at his side moved and rushed after the leaving black-haired attendant.

|Ah! That's right! My Buru will heal him!|

Surou breathed out in relief.

But when Burushiitto got close to Zoemi, he turned around and his eyes became completely lifeless...

"...

"

Zoemi opened his mouth and his lips moved but no sound came out...

"...!

"

And yet, even though no incantation was spoken the attendant's body got enveloped in a mass of murky black shadow that formed the figure of a massive shadow creature with bear-like features.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH...!

"

The towering shadow figure's hollow eyes focused on the blond girl causing her to scream in terror and stumble back, which resulted in her falling on her back.

"Don't... You... Dare... Touch... Me...! You... Accursed... Heroine...!

"

"!!!!!!!!!!

"

The mass of shadows was facing the girl but although the spot where the mouth should be didn't even budge, Zoemi's weak whisper reached the blond heroine trying to scuttle away – making her freeze in place.

"...wait...!

"

Burushiitto gasped and turned around wide-eyed.

"What did you just call me...?! Ah...!

"

She asked staring in disbelief at the thing speaking with Zoemi's voice.

"...

"

But at that moment the shadows blew away revealing the pitiful black-haired boy pale as a ghost and trembling as if he was already one leg in the grave, and the blond girl couldn't utter another word.

"...just leave me alone...

"

After releasing his spell Zoemi turned away from the heroine and stumbled to the dormitory.

"...

"

No one from the gathered people tried to stop him, everyone just made way for him in silence.

Even after the black-haired boy disappeared no one moved...

Even though they were all of the noble birth most of them had never seen anyone getting whipped - and certainly no one saw a whipping so bloodcurdling like this one...

"I once told my maid I'll ask father to whip her if she spills my tea once more... I... I need to apologize to her...!

"

Some random gold-haired senior year female student started sobbing and ran to the dormitory...

-------

"Huh? And what's with all those people here?

"

"!!!

"

Suddenly a grouchy voice called out, getting the crowd's attention.

Everyone got surprised and looked around for the owner of the voice.

He wasn't hard to find.

The voice belonged to the elderly light magician Kros Rul Shuze.

The head examiner of the magic examination.

He held a sheet of paper in his hand and was walking nonchalantly while scratching the left side of his chest as if it was itchy.

"It will be just some smacking around with a rope - no one of you youngsters even know how to properly hold a whip! Without me, you will hurt yourself more than the target! Seriously...

"

Kros laughed to himself.

"Back in my days we...

"

The elderly magician's jokes stopped abruptly when he saw the wooden pole and the blood on the grass...

"...wh-what...? But... this paper said that...

"

Kros gasped glancing at the written application for the student's punishment...

And then the elderly teacher's eyes finally found the pale-blue-haired man with the bloodstained whip in his hand and...

"Zorus...

"

Kros glared at the torturer and his body started glowing gold releasing the terrifying pressure full of nothing but pure hate.

"...impossible...

"

The elderly magician gritted his teeth and hurriedly took out thick glasses from the inside pocket of his clothes and put them on.

Then he raised the paper in front of his face and started reading it while looking more and more furious with each passing second of unbelievably heavy silence.

"HAVE ALL OF YOU BRATS LOST YOUR GOD DAMNED MINDS?!

"

"!!!!!!!!!!!

"

Then the elderly light magician roared, crumpling the paper and throwing it to the ground with enough force that the earth trembled and the feeble document embedded deep into the soil...

"Student Surou Delche Bellcephora, follow me to the headmaster - IMMEDIATELY!

"

The red-faced Kros barely able to contain his fury commanded and turned around.

"And you, Zorus, get the hell out of the academy grounds before the principal will notice you... or I will do what I am thinking of doing!

"

Kros added without even looking at the silent torturer.