The teacher looked at the class, all of them sitting quietly in shock after hearing the strange, terrifying name. She let out a long sigh and rubbed her forehead.
"That's the name he gave it to himself," she said in a soft, tired voice. "But forget about it for now. He won't survive long anyway…"
She looked around once more, then continued, "Because of all this chaos, everyone in the academy is busy with important things—so there won't be any classes today. You're free to do whatever you want."
With that, she turned around and slowly walked out of the classroom.
As soon as the door closed, a wide grin spread across Violet's face. She stood up quickly, her fist clenched in excitement.
"Nice! Even fate wants me to beat Mirael as soon as possible!"
Ethan also stood up, adjusting his coat. "I'll come with you—just in case she brings backup."
"We'll go too!" said Sylvania and Emma together as they stood up, still looking a bit tired but more focused now.
Cassandra remained seated for a second longer, her expression as blank and calm as ever.
"I have a duel with someone," she said. "Maybe I'll join you after I defeat her."
"Her?" Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know who she is. I let the Dueling Regulation Committee choose three random names every week. This time, it's a girl from Class B. Alice or something."
She waved her hand lazily and stood up. "Meet me in the evening. I'll introduce you to the new members then," she said before walking out of the room without another word.
Ethan, Violet, Sylvania, and Emma headed off to look for Mirael.
Maruti, who had been sitting near the back and quietly listening, got up too. But instead of joining them, she turned and walked in the opposite direction.
She had something else in mind.
She wanted to find Esdeath.
---
After searching around the academy for some time, going up and down stairs, checking different places, Maruti finally reached the rooftop.
The air was calm up there. The sky was cloudy, and the wind was cool.
She saw Esdeath lying down on a thick balcony wall, her back resting against the stone and her legs hanging off slightly. Her hair flowed gently with the wind.
Her already pale face looked even more pale and tired.
Her eyes were open, but she wasn't really "looking." Her gaze was fixed far below, watching soldiers and teachers rushing around in the academy grounds. People were moving quickly, carrying weapons, scrolls, and magical tools.
They all looked busy. Serious. Focused.
And Esdeath knew why it was—M.A.L.I.C.E. The living puppet with a will of its own but not like she cares.
She could also see things others couldn't.
Her eyes flicked to the surroundings of academy and there, floating in the air, were small spirits. Some looked like balls of light, gently glowing. Others looked like weak ghosts, lost and wandering.
So many had died "that" night —it was no surprise that this area had become filled with leftover spirits.
The academy had already taken care of any dangerous ones. The weaker ones were left to float around harmlessly, like mist.
Maruti stopped at the rooftop door, panting lightly from running. She looked at Esdeath and sighed.
"So you're here," she said, walking over slowly.
"Y-yeah…" Esdeath replied in a soft, lifeless voice.
She didn't move.
She didn't smile.
She looked like her soul was somewhere else, far away, drowning in thoughts she couldn't speak out loud.
Maruti let out a soft chuckle as she walked closer to Esdeath, who was still lying on the balcony wall like a lifeless doll.
"What's with that face?" she teased, grinning. "Are you planning to die or something?"
Esdeath didn't smile. Her voice was quiet and empty.
"Yeah… maybe I should just die. I guess that's what I deserve…"
Maruti's grin faded a little. She blinked and raised an eyebrow. It didn't sound like a joke. She could tell Esdeath was being serious.
She walked closer and stood beside her, looking down at her with a hint of concern.
"Did something happen?" she asked, her voice softer now.
Esdeath didn't even look at her. Her eyes stayed locked on the ground far below. People still moved quickly, unaware of the storm inside her heart.
"Lortell must be disappointed in me…" Esdeath muttered. "I rejected her words… I said no to her face…"
Maruti blinked, then let out a short laugh.
"Pfft… That's it?" she said with a smirk. "Isn't that what you're always doing? Going against what she wants you to do?",
"Yeah… but saying it on her face… that is different, Ohh now that I think about it, One more time i rejected her when she said not to participate in competition ," Esdeath replied in a dull tone. Her voice was heavy like stone.
Maruti stretched her arms lazily and smiled.
"That's why it's better not to fall in love in the first place. Look at me—free as a bird. No worries. No heartbreaks," she said proudly.
Then she tilted her head and asked, "Why don't you just become a vampire? Are you scared you won't be able to walk in the sunlight anymore?"
Esdeath slowly turned her head toward Maruti. Her eyes looked less empty now. A small spark returned.
"No… it's not that," she said. "I just want to make the best choice. The Demon King is going to come back… Sooner or later. And we need to stop that."
Her voice sounded firmer now—like someone trying to remind herself of what really mattered.
But Maruti rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"Why not let our great protagonist Ethan handle the Demon King?" she said with a smirk. "You could just be Lortell's cute little puppy, live in a quiet village, have babies, and grow old together."
Esdeath let out a dry laugh. It wasn't happy, but it was real.
"Why do you always say dumb things?" she asked, looking at Maruti. "This isn't a game anymore. In the game, if you lose, you can try again. But here—if we lose, that's it. No second chances."
She looked up at the sky, the clouds slowly drifting.
"If Ethan looses and the Demon King returns… we won't get to live peacefully. Ever."
Maruti blinked, a little surprised. She rubbed her chin.
"Huh… It's hard to believe a chaos-lover like you is talking about peace," she said.
Esdeath just sighed and waved her hand, dismissing her.
"Whatever. Just leave me alone for a minute. I need to think… about what kind of punishment I should give myself."
She turned her face away again, clearly expecting Maruti to go.
But Maruti didn't move.
Instead, she sighed deeply and muttered, "I guess I need to give you some motivation…"
Before Esdeath could react, Maruti reached down, grabbed her by the leg, and started dragging her across the rooftop like a sack of potatoes.
"Hey—! What are you doing…?" Esdeath asked, her voice still flat, but now a bit annoyed.
She didn't resist though. She just lay there like a ragdoll, her head slightly bouncing against the stone floor, her long hair dragging behind, half her body floating as Maruti pulled her along.
--------------
The basketball court was always Mirael's territory—a place where he and his gang bullied the weak, especially first-years and students from poor families. Today was no different.
Dozens of students sat on the ground in lines, skipping their classes, their faces full of fear. Mirael stood in front of them with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face. His green eyes sparkled with cruelty.
In front of him were a few second-year students, both boys and girls. There used to be more of them, but after the monster attack that horrible night, many had died. Mirael, however, had survived—and so did his bullying.
"Alright, everyone!" Mirael said loudly, his voice full of authority. "Come forward, one by one, and pay this month's fee! And don't forget to say, 'I really enjoyed your bullying service!'"
No one dared to argue.
Their hands shook, but they slowly got in line. A girl from Mirael's gang stood with a hat in her hands, collecting coins—bronze or silver—from the terrified students.
"I really enjoyed your bullying service," mumbled a boy with a plain face, dropping a coin into the hat before stepping aside.
Another student came next.
"I-I really enjoyed it…" he said nervously.
BAM!
Suddenly, one of Mirael's subordinates kicked the boy hard in the stomach. The poor student fell backward and started coughing badly, holding his belly.
"You call that sincere?" the bully shouted, stepping forward and raising his leg again to kick him while he was down.
But then—
"STOP IT!!"
A loud voice echoed across the court.
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
Four people walked in: Ethan, Violet, Emma, and Sylvania.
Violet was leading them, her face filled with pure anger. Her eyes burned as she stared straight at Mirael.
"Well, well… if it isn't our little hero, Ethan," Mirael sneered with a smug grin. "You sure are popular with the ladies."
Everyone at the academy knew Ethan by now. He was famous for his strength, his bravery, and of course, his good looks. Mirael knew him too—but didn't care.
Ethan's face was serious, filled with anger.
"Do you feel no shame?" he said loudly. "You're bullying weak people instead of protecting them! Is that what your strength is for?"
Mirael, who was a bit taller than Ethan, simply chuckled. He had no fear.
"Bully?" he said in a fake surprised voice. "Who said we're bullying anyone?"
He turned to his gang and smiled. All of them quickly shook their heads, acting innocent.
Then Mirael turned to the students who had just been bullied.
"Well? Are we bullying you?" he asked, his smile growing wider.
The students—scared out of their minds—shook their heads too. No one dared to speak.
Ethan's fists clenched in frustration. His teeth gritted together. Mirael's smug, fake-innocent face made his blood boil.
"You…!" Ethan stepped forward, ready to punch Mirael—
But Violet grabbed his arm and stepped in front of him.
Just then, a girl from Mirael's group walked toward Ethan. She had heavy makeup on, wore a very short skirt, and looked at Ethan with a flirty smile.
"You look sooo cute when you're angry," she said with a wink. "Wanna come to my room tonight?"
She leaned in closer and added in a sultry voice, "I'll show you what real pleasure feels like…"
Ethan's face turned bright red. His mouth opened but no words came out.
But before he could react—
Violet stepped forward, cracking her knuckles.
"Alright," she said. "Let me handle them."
Although Violet was cracking her knuckles like she was ready to fight with her fists, she didn't use her hands at all.
Instead, with a flick of her fingers, she used gravity magic. The flirtatious girl who had just tried to seduce Ethan suddenly floated slightly into the air without even realizing what was happening.
Before the girl could react—
"Take this, bitch!" Violet shouted with anger burning in her eyes.
Wham.
She kicked the girl right between her legs with full force.
The girl's eyes went wide with shock and pain. Her mouth opened, but no voice came out. She fell to the ground, her body curled up tightly like a dying worm, rolling back and forth in agony.
Even Ethan flinched. He instinctively put his hand in front of his own private part and gulped, imagining how painful that must have been.
Violet glanced sideways at him with a smirk.
"What are you so scared for? It's not like she has anything down there," she said coldly.
"You!" Mirael shouted, taking a step forward with rage. But then he stopped himself, trying to hold back. "You're using violence! I can report you to the teachers!"
He tried to sound confident and in control.
But then Sylvania stepped up, her expression calm but proud.
"Go ahead. We'll report you too," she said with a sharp look. "I'm a Count's daughter. Let's see whose words the teachers listen to—yours or mine."
Mirael's face twitched, but he quickly hid his frustration.
"So what?" he said, trying to stay smug. "Do you have any proof that we're bullying anyone?"
He glared at Sylvania, but in his heart, he was thinking about someone else.
"That shameless bitch... ever since I met her, I've started becoming shameless too," he thought about Esdeath with a crooked grin on his face.
But Violet didn't give him time to enjoy his smug thoughts.
She stepped forward, her brown eyes locked onto his with burning determination. She lifted her right hand and pointed her finger straight at his face.
"I challenge you to a duel," she said firmly.
"If I win, you'll answer every question I ask—and you'll stop bullying the others. But if I lose, we won't bother you again."