The expression of the man presumed to be Evan remained hidden beneath his mask, impossible to read.
However, judging by the dangerous aura radiating from him, it was clear he was no kind soul.
“Hey.”
“…….”
A chilly voice echoed quietly. It felt as if the surrounding noise died down at his single word.
“Yes…….”
Komult’s swollen cheek was still burning with pain.
But ignoring the ache, Komult lowered his posture as much as possible in front of Evan and answered.
This was a situation he had anticipated from the moment he decided to come alone.
It was true he was incredibly tense and stiff, but he didn’t think he had made the wrong choice.
He hadn’t worked so hard on his training just to become a regular disciple by selling out his peers.
Komult stared at Evan with wide, defiant eyes.
Seeing him like that, Evan let out a small, mocking laugh.
“Do you even know how things work here at Pasadian?”
“…….”
Komult was momentarily flustered and said nothing.
Did he know how Pasadian worked?
……Of course he didn’t.
If he had known, he wouldn’t have ended up in this hopeless situation.
As Komult frowned, Evan approached slowly and stroked his hair.
His voice, which might have sounded kind at first listen, vibrated in Komult’s ear.
“Foolish and stupid children like you are the first to die. That’s the kind of place Pasadian is. A place where you must be cunning and mean to survive.”
“…….”
“Do you think I was always like this?”
Evan’s final words flew at Komult and stuck like a dagger.
Was Evan—this man who was like a disaster to the apprentice disciples—not always this way?
“Now, looking at guys like you makes me sick.”
Though his touch was gentle, there was a faint trace of anger in the hand that stroked him.
“In the end, when it’s time to die, you’ll struggle and beg to be saved…….”
At his bone-chilling words, Komult slowly backed away.
He had sensed that the atmosphere had shifted.
Evan grinned and said:
“Komult, was it? I’ll give you one more chance.”
“……What?”
“Go right now and bring anyone. Whether you knock them out or tie them up, just put them in front of me.”
“…….”
“If you refuse even this offer, you……”
“…….”
“Will die right here.”
Placed at a crossroads of life and death, Komult’s eyes widened.
Because that merciless-looking man named Evan was truly someone who would follow through, Komult couldn’t find even a single ray of hope to escape him.
In the apprentice disciple annex, Evan’s word was law.
Even the disciples called the greatest geniuses of their generation couldn’t overcome Evan’s wall.
This wasn’t a world where one could survive on skill alone.
However, Komult felt even more disgusted with himself for wavering at those words.
He resented his two legs, which were trembling as if they wanted to bolt from the spot immediately.
“Ah…….”
Just as his vision was turning dark with no way out, a fair-skinned boy with white hair approached.
With soft white hair and refreshing, clear blue eyes, it was Lucien.
At the sudden appearance of an unexpected person, Heron and Evan fixed their gazes on Lucien.
“Hello.”
As Lucien gave an innocent greeting, the atmosphere grew as cold as if ice water had been poured over it.
“You’re…….”
It was only natural for Komult, who shared the same classroom, to recognize Lucien, and Heron and Evan also seemed to know him through rumors.
“What is the Elder’s grandson doing here?”
Surprisingly, Evan remained calm.
No trace of fluster or tension could be found in his voice.
‘Is it because he has some experience?’
Anakin watched the scene and bit her lip with an anxious face.
“I kept hearing rumors. That there’s a giant fish muddying the waters in the annex.”
“…….”
Even though he was being provoked by an innocent face, Evan continued to stare at him without moving.
Rather, he seemed interested in Lucien.
“And?”
“I came to see just how weak you are that you have to use such cowardly methods.”
At those words, the expressions of Anakin and the children twisted beyond measure.
“We never agreed on that kind of provocation.”
“……The real crazy one was right here.”
They had only told him to quietly get Komult out, yet he was saying such insane things.
While Anakin’s group was dumbfounded, Heron, who was standing behind, spoke with a frustrated face.
“Aren’t you the one?”
His words were aimed at Lucien, who acted however he pleased at Pasadian, relying on his background as the Elder’s grandson.
At that, Lucien shrugged his shoulders and spoke teasingly.
“I haven’t even done anything yet.”
Heron’s face turned savage at Lucien’s remark.
“This kid who knows nothing……”
As he stepped forward, muttering with a voice full of murderous intent, Evan raised his hand to stop him.
His eyes remained fixed on Lucien.
“You wouldn’t have come just to tease us. Did you come to save this guy?”
At the accurate deduction, Lucien glanced at Komult.
Komult was staring at Lucien, swallowing hard with a surprised face at the unexpected turn of events.
“No, not particularly…….”
When Lucien made an unenthusiastic expression upon looking at him, Evan asked sharply.
“Then what did you come here for?”
“…….”
Lucien’s wave-like blue eyes were calm.
With a face that seemed to hold no emotion, he opened his mouth.
“Don’t touch anyone for a while.”
Silence fell once again.
Then, Heron, agitated by Lucien’s warning, shouted.
“Just because we go easy on you for being the Elder’s grandson……”
“I will.”
At Evan’s surprisingly clean agreement, even the excited Heron stared at him blankly.
“Excuse me……?”
Leaving behind Heron, who was lost for words, Evan added:
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but I’m curious to see if things will go your way.”
Anakin didn’t know what Evan was thinking, but one thing was certain: he was definitely cautious.
Not acting hastily and not revealing his emotions—was this the survival law of Pasadian?
Only Heron was left bewildered in the quiet battle of nerves between Lucien and Evan.
“Lord Evan……?”
“But give up the idea that such a method will work next time. The world isn’t as simple as you think.”
“…….”
Leaving only those words, Evan turned around and left.
Heron followed behind Evan, but not before scowling at Komult.
“Damn it…….”
Only after the figures of Evan and Heron had vanished into the distance did the children emerge from behind the wall.
“Lucien. Wasn’t that too reckless?”
“It worked well enough for now.”
“I don’t know. To me, it looked like it didn’t even faze him.”
Komult, flustered by the sudden appearance of the 47th class children, asked:
“What…… did you guys save me?”
Anakin spoke up.
“It’s thanks to Lucien. If you’re going to be thankful, be thankful to Lucien.”
Then Lucien frowned and said to Komult:
“Don’t thank me, thank Anakin. I only did it because of her.”
With them pushing the credit back and forth, Komult had to look between them with confused eyes.
“Thank you so much……. I didn’t expect to be helped by the 47th class.”
Komult wiped his face and let out a sigh of relief as his tension faded. Seeing that, Hilde said:
“Go to your classmate, Renya. It doesn’t seem like Evan will harass you for a while.”
“Could it be that Renya……? I truly feel ashamed…….”
After that, Komult bowed several times to express his gratitude.
In the end, he didn’t sell out his peer.
Anakin thought that Komult had done his part just by that.
“I guess even Evan is afraid of the Elder.”
“Of course. It’s like a Sword Master suddenly appearing in a kids’ fight.”
“He’d definitely be intimidated. But it looked like he had some other scheme.”
Evan wouldn’t stop here.
He would just pretend to stop for a while, just as he had seized control of the annex, and then repeat the same thing.
This incident where Lucien stepped forward would be reported to the high-ranking disciple behind Evan.
Knowing that the Elder’s grandson was involved in this matter, he would have no choice but to lay low for a while.
“We’ll have to watch over Lucien for a bit.”
At Anakin’s words, the children all nodded.
Anakin gave a warm smile to Lucien, who had made a great sacrifice.
“Thank you, Lucien. I won’t forget this.”
At Anakin’s sweet voice, Lucien’s ears turned slightly red.
“Say it more.”
Then Anakin tilted her head and said:
“Huh? Thank you…….”
“More. More.”
Just as Anakin was about to speak again at Lucien’s request—
“Thank—”
“Let’s stop there.”
Hilde lightly cut off their conversation and changed the subject.
“Then it’ll be quiet for a while.”
“Yeah. Until then, we have to find clues about the high-ranking disciple who looks after Evan,” Anakin replied.
Lucien looked at Anakin with a disappointed expression.
“Evan might try to keep the 47th class, where Lucien is, in check.”
In the end, it was only a matter of time before Evan realized that Lucien was helping them.
Many apprentice disciples in the annex would serve as his eyes and ears.
Now, it was time to face him head-on.
