"Arghhh!"
Ethan groaned in frustration as his intense dream was abruptly interrupted. Still half asleep, he instinctively reached for his blanket, prepared to ignore whoever dared disturb his peace. However, the moment his sluggish brain finally registered the words being shouted outside his door, every trace of sleep vanished.
He practically launched himself out of bed. Rushing toward the door, he hurriedly unlocked it before pulling it open.
"Please tell me whatever I just heard was part of my dream," Ethan pleaded. "Tell me you didn’t actually say those terrifying words."
Rin rolled his eyes before lightly smacking Ethan on the head.
"Well, sleepyhead," he sighed dramatically, "I hate to break it to you, but everything I said is real. That bastard actually went ahead and reported us. I honestly thought we acted confidently enough to make him believe we had permission."
Ethan let out a long sigh. He should’ve known.
Leon hated him far too much to let something like doubt stop him. Even if there had been a chance Ethan truly had permission, Leon would still report them without hesitation. If he turned out to be wrong, the worst he would suffer was a little embarrassment.
But to Leon...
Embarrassment meant absolutely nothing compared to the possibility of seeing Ethan expelled from the academy.
"Alright," Ethan said after rubbing his temples. "Don’t fret. I’ll freshen up and we’ll go."
Rin looked at him curiously. "You’re not frightened? And you’re seriously not regretting agreeing to my idea of sneaking in there just for food?"
Ethan couldn’t help laughing.
"Frightened? Definitely. I’m more than frightened." He stretched lazily, an unexpectedly satisfied smile plastered on his face. "But regretting going through with your idea? Hell no. After devouring that meal, I’d say everything was worth it."
He chuckled softly before adding, more to himself than to Rin, "And hey... look on the bright side. If we get expelled, at least we got to enjoy the best meal this academy had to offer before leaving, right?"
Good food...
That wasn’t something Ethan could ever bring himself to regret. He cherished food almost as much as he cherished being alive.
Back in the apocalypse, eating until he was actually full had been nothing more than a distant dream. Most days had been spent scavenging for stale biscuits, expired canned food, or whatever scraps he could find before someone—or something—got to them first.
Compared to that...
Last night’s dinner had been nothing short of heaven.
Smack!
"Ouch!"
Rin withdrew his hand after lightly hitting Ethan on the head again.
"You’re seriously unbelievable," he muttered, looking somewhere between amused and exasperated. "How can you cherish food more than the trouble we’re facing right now? Hurry up and freshen up already. Let’s get going."
Ethan merely laughed before disappearing into the tiny bathroom. Not long afterward, he stepped back out fully dressed, and together they made their way toward the principal’s office.
...
Standing outside the office once again, Ethan couldn’t help sighing inwardly.
I seriously hate principal offices.
For some reason, every visit seemed to involve nothing but bad news or trouble.
Yesterday it had been about his scholarship.
Today...
It was probably about to become even worse.
After exchanging a brief glance with Rin, they knocked before entering.
The principal was already seated behind his desk. Unlike yesterday, however, there wasn’t even the slightest trace of friendliness on his face.
His expression was stern.
Cold.
Authoritative.
Seeing the dramatic difference almost made Ethan laugh.
Figures.
Yesterday it was only an F-rank Guide with scholarship issues.
Today it involved a report from a high-ranking student.
Again... classism.
The two of them greeted him respectfully before taking the seats opposite his desk. Silence instantly settled over the room.
The principal folded his hands together, studying them quietly for several long seconds before finally clearing his throat.
"You two have been reported," he began evenly, "for sneaking into the S-class dormitory yesterday evening and entering its cafeteria without authorization. According to the report, you also received meals before leaving."
His sharp gaze swept over both of them. "Now," he continued, his voice growing even more serious, "I’ll ask you one question."
"Did you... or did you not do it?"
Ethan exchanged a glance with Rin. There wasn’t much point lying now. Doing so would only make matters worse if the academy decided to investigate.
Almost simultaneously, they nodded.
"Yes."
The principal acknowledged their answer with a slow nod before asking another question. "Did either of you have permission to enter the S-class dormitory?"
Again...
The answer came almost immediately.
"No."
Another heavy silence followed.
The principal leaned back in his chair before letting out a weary sigh.
"You both knowingly violated academy regulations." His voice remained calm, yet every word carried undeniable authority. "The academy separates dormitories according to rank and status for a reason. Lower-ranked students are strictly prohibited from entering higher-ranked dormitories without permission or invitation."
Both Ethan and Rin lowered their heads slightly.
"We’re sorry, Principal."
The older man sighed once more. " I appreciate that both of you admitted the truth without attempting to lie." His expression softened ever so slightly before hardening again. "Unfortunately... your apologies don’t change the situation."
He tapped a finger lightly against his desk.
"The student who reported you has made it very clear that if this matter isn’t handled appropriately, he intends to take it directly to the academy board."
Ethan’s expression darkened.
Of course Leon would.
The principal continued. "If that happens, the decision will no longer be mine to make."
Neither Ethan nor Rin spoke.
They simply waited.
After another brief pause, the principal finally sighed. However, there is... one possible solution."
Both boys looked up almost immediately.
"If," the principal began, "you can obtain approval from a student whose standing within the academy is influential enough for the administration to overlook this violation, then I can officially close this matter without forwarding it to the academy board."
His gaze lingered on them.
"You have until tonight."
"If you fail... then tomorrow morning I will have no choice but to submit this case to the academy heads."
The office fell silent once more. Both Ethan and Rin understood exactly what that meant.
Expulsion.
They stood together before bowing respectfully.
"Thank you, Principal."
After leaving the office, neither of them spoke for quite some time.
The atmosphere between them had become noticeably heavier. Eventually, Rin reached over and patted Ethan’s shoulder reassuringly.
"Don’t overthink it," he said, forcing a smile. "I’ll think of something. Maybe there’s someone high enough that’s willing to help."
Without waiting for Ethan’s response, Rin hurried away, already looking deep in thought.
Ethan remained standing there for several moments before quietly making his way back toward his own dormitory.
Technically...
He still had classes today.
But honestly?
He wasn’t in the mood.
There was little point pretending to focus on lectures when he might not even remain a student by tomorrow.
The hours passed far quicker than he expected. Before long, evening slowly descended upon the academy.
Inside his room, Ethan sat on the edge of his bed, his gaze constantly drifting between the door and the phone resting in his hand.
Every few minutes, he’d unlock the screen hoping for good news from Rin but was left with nothing.
No knock or sign of Rin either.
Forget it. He couldn’t leave everything to Rin. This problem belonged to both of them.
The principal had made one thing abundantly clear. They needed someone important enough for the academy heads to listen.
And no matter how unwilling he felt...
No matter how much his pride screamed against it... there was only one person Ethan could think of.
Drey.
Just thinking about asking that arrogant man for help made Ethan feel like swallowing broken glass.
Still...
If lowering his pride meant avoiding expulsion...
Then so be it.
Picking up his phone once more, Ethan quickly sent Rin a short message informing him of his decision.
Several minutes passed but there was no reply. He stared at the unread message before slipping the phone back into his pocket.
It didn’t matter anymore.
Gathering every ounce of courage he possessed, Ethan left his dormitory and made his way toward the S-class residential dorm.
Getting inside proved easier than expected.
With complete confidence, he lied to the guards that Lord Drey had invited him over. It was another lie, but at this point... one more hardly mattered.
Thankfully...
The prestigious young Sentinel’s name alone was enough that they didn’t question him further.Following the directions they provided, he slowly made his way through the luxurious residential building until he finally stopped outside the room bearing the number...
001.
Ethan stared at the number for several long seconds.
This was it.
He drew in one last deep breath, slowly raised his hand toward the door, and prepared to knock.
Ding.
The sudden notification sound from his phone made him pause. He frowned before pulling the device from his pocket.
The screen lit up immediately displaying a message from Rin.
Rin:Ethan! Wait! Abort mission immediately.