"I've been thinking," I sliced the carrots into fine pieces as I told Crystal my idea. "If they can't earn CMP this month, we should lend it out to them with interest."
It is the same logic as casinos.
By lending out money to those in need, you can establish strong connections for the future, as well as trust and a profit in money. This is a win-win situation. The school rules said nothing against lending money to others. Ms Seraphine only mentioned once that if you do not wish to spend your CMP, you can transfer it to another student. Even if we get caught, we can use CMP to buy our way out of the situation. This is how the real world functions as well.
Those who received your lent CMP will forever remember your 'kindness', strengthening bonds that can be used in the future and increasing the defence mechanisms surrounding you. Another highlight is that although they have returned to you the CMP they owe, they will always feel the need to repay a favour to you. I could definitely use a favour or two in the future…through Crystal.
"Have you lost your mind?" Crystal threw her knife at the cutting board. Her expression was cold. However, her actions said otherwise.
"Not at all," I calmly continued, cutting the cucumbers paper-thin as well. "Could you point out to me which part of this idea seems so unreasonable that you would lose your cool?" I eyed the knife that had almost penetrated the wooden cutting board.
"Everything." Her words were sharp.
I raised my eyebrows slightly.
"Don't make me repeat myself twice," She warned.
"I don't see the risk here." I poured all my ingredients into the large boiling pot.
Today was May 1st, a good day to commemorate Mom's excellent Orvax Stew. It was the start of a new month, symbolising new beginnings and leaving the past behind, but I couldn't bear to let her Orvax Stew recipe go to waste.
Her death, too.
I couldn't let both go to waste.
If I were to die, my last supper would definitely be Orvax Stew.
"You're putting a crown on your own head. Do you think no one will cut it off?" Crystal questioned.
I waited for her to explain.
"If Class C, A, or even S finds out that you're the one controlling the CMP distribution in Class D, won't they immediately mark you as their target? You say that you want a peaceful high school life, but by doing this, aren't you drawing too much attention to yourself? Power has costs."
But you're forgetting something, Crystal.
Power comes from control.
Of course, I plan on living my peaceful high school life before starting on my revenge. It's probably the last time I'll feel even a tiny bit of amusement. That's why I plan on using you. I'm not going to get my hands dirty for the sake of my own class.
You are.
"No, I never said that I was going to do it. This is a sacrifice. I am not ready to give up my peaceful life for my class. I am merely stating my idea as you told me to. Someone needs to coordinate things in the class. Everyone is failing, not because they're stupid, but because everyone is acting individually. That is one of the biggest flaws in Class 1-D."
I stopped stirring my stew and looked at Crystal straight in the eye.
"This is why we need a leader. But the person who does it will be the target of other classes."
Knowing Crystal, if I had not phrased this as a sacrifice, she would have rejected my idea straight away. But now, once she accepts my proposal, she will be in my control. All the power she holds will be mine. She'll never know that she's nothing but a mere queen of mine. Not even an equal.
"That's true," Crystal answered carefully, deep in thought.
"People will listen to you because you observe before speaking. You do not cause conflict." I reasoned.
You can be the face, Crystal. I'll be the structure.
You'll see soon, Crystal. How people trust you. Even if you find out my intentions in the near future, you have no choice but to continue cooperating with me. Because by then, the class would have already trusted you. And very soon, they would need you more than ever.
"You care about the class more than I do. You also want to move up to Class A more than anyone does."
I closed the gap between us.
"Only you can do this, Crystal. You are willing to sacrifice more than I do."
She took a step back and looked away.
"I'll think about it."
"Moving up to Class C as a class depends on you."
I walked back to the stove and tasted the stew.
"Just nice."
It was exactly how I remembered it. The rich, flavourful taste that came from the bone marrow was still there. The carrots, potatoes, and celery were as soft as I remembered. And the meat…oh, it was tender, not too soft, but also not too hard, with the juice flowing out of the orvax with every bite, just the way Mom would do it.
I lifted the ladle to Crystal.
"You want some?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, sure."
What was that for?
~~~~~~~~~~
I glanced around at the empty classroom.
What was I supposed to do now?
If I asked, "Hey, does anyone want to study with us after school?" Would anyone come? I mean, of course, they would only come if there was something that would benefit them…
Oh yeah, my Orvax Stew.
I don't feel like sharing though…No choice, for the sake of my survival in Celestara High, I must give up my precious stew.
"Liam, do you have a minute?"
I walked up to Liam.
"Yeah, sure! What's up?" Liam grinned. He was bright and cheery as usual. Unlike me, he was like the sun, blasting his brightness and energy everywhere he went. It's too early for me to be exorcised. Sigh. I hate bright people. So bright.
"I have some Orvax Stew left from just now. Would you like to join Crystal and me for a study session with Orvax Stew after school? You're free to bring others, too. I made too much." I mustered up the courage to talk to Liam.
I'm so proud of myself.
The air felt…awkward, though.
"Why not? I love Orvax Stew!!! See you after class then!!" Liam beamed.
I guess he really loves Orvax Stew.
Haha.
This is great.
We have now secured the key piece. Our mission to tutor more students and offer to lend out CMP is going smoothly. Now, I could just sit back and relax…or not…
"Remi, you want to eat Orvax Stew with me after class? Crystal and Alistair are giving them out as they tutor us!!"
The news of our study session with Orvax Stew spread like wildfire through the class. And soon, almost everyone knew about it. It's only a matter of time before Tank, Frederick, and Pax come. You could say that I'm pretty close to the three of them, so…
"Tank, do you have a minute?" I called Tank from the entrance of the class. His wild blue hair was wet, and he was still short of breath from swimming. "I want to ask you something."
"Yeah, what's up?" Tank replied as he dried his hair with a towel. The towel looked fresh and warm. Did the lifeguard from the swimming complex provide those for them?
"What do you plan on doing for the Genesis Evaluation?"
"I've never studied seriously in my life, and I still got into this school, so I should be just fine," He answered. "If I do some late-night cramming the night before, and train a little bit by challenging Reine, that should do it."
"Oh, I see. Crystal and I are holding a study session every day after class. Would you like to join? I'm sure it will be beneficial to you, especially with everyone's CMP low now. Scoring higher means more CMP, right?"
"No way. Besides, I'm studying with you? Your grades are average at best. As I told you earlier, I've never been one who studies seriously. Give it up. I don't care as long as I pass. Studying last minute will probably help me pass everything. I don't need your help." He shot back.
"I'm just trying to help our class," I said. "Besides, I'm not going to tutor you. Crystal is. I'm just a student of hers."
"Crystal? She's way too shady to trust. I've never talked to her before. Neither has anyone in this class. And if you're going to convince me to join, I'm going to need to see that your grades have improved after she has tutored you, or else there's no point joining her study group. Tch," Tank scoffed and walked off.
Sigh, Crystal, you need to socialise a little more than this. No one trusts you. I wouldn't be surprised if someone forgot your name or didn't know that you're in this class. In this society, bonds and connections are the most important tools, even if they're one-sided or fake. They let you pull the strings behind the scenes and make even the most staged situations seem natural.
"Hey, Freddie, do you have a minute…?"
"Alistair, I already heard your conversation with Tank. There's no way I'm joining your study group, even if there's free food. Studying is for geeks. That's not my type of thing! Pssht."
"But you do know that you'll be expelled if you fail, right?"
"I'll be fine. I'll just do some late-night cramming the night before." Freddie patted my back and left.
"How about you, Pax?" I turned to Pax, who was standing nearby.
Pax shook his head and smiled, "Don't worry about me. I'm sure the gods will help me, just as they helped me get into this school." He then stared into the sky as he muttered a prayer.
The three of them are really…idiots.
~~~~~~~~~~
"In the end, our target audience didn't come," Crystal reported over the phone.
"I apologise for not being able to convince them to come," I apologised. "The three of them seemed to have the same foolish mindset that they could pass if they studied the night before."
"I see," Crystal said slowly. "At this rate, our class might really start losing CAP."
"Have you already given up hope for those three? Do you really want to see them expelled from Celestara High?" I inquired.
"No, but there's nothing we can do…" She muttered. "I want to see all of them graduate with us in Year 3, but…"
"What should I do?" She asked me instead.
"Don't worry about it, just continue the study group. I am sure they will come to their senses soon," I advised.
Now that I roughly know the amount of determination she has in her heart, I can carry out the next step of my plan. The next step that requires much sacrifice. But only I can do that sacrifice since she has not spoken to Crystal yet.
"Alright, I will continue the study group," Crystal said. "I'll prepare some food the next time, then. Bye,"
"Bye,"
She hung up.
"Sigh, this is going to be such a hassle," I rubbed my temples. "I can't believe I need to turn to her of all people. I thought of asking Reine at first, but she doesn't have what it takes to bring those three over."
"Really, if I could, I would have asked Reine, but this Study Group would be the very roots of my plan. Celeste is nice, so she'd probably try to help me, but her only friends are Annabelle and Lauren. And Lauren is just…I don't know. I just don't feel like approaching her."
"But to ask that woman," I sighed. "I don't feel like doing that."
"However, for Crystal's sake…" I took in a deep breath and grabbed the landline. "...I must do this."
"Hi, I am Jasmine. How may I help you today?" A voice came from the phone.
"Ah, yes, I am Alistair from room 203. Could you put me on the line with Annabelle from Class 1-D? Thanks,"
"Of course! Please wait a moment."
A few moments passed before a familiar voice came from the phone.
"Hi, who is this?"
"It's me, Annabelle. Alistair from your class."
"Oh, hi! Is there anything you need from me?" Her cheery voice came from the other end.
"Annabelle, didn't you want to get closer to Crystal and me? Well, here's your chance."
"Yep, I'm listening."
"I'll be straightforward with you. Can you get Tank, Frederick, as well as Pax to join Crystal's study group? Of course, you're welcome to join." I offered.
"Sure!! What time does it start?" Annabelle chirped.
"It starts from tomorrow onwards, after school," I paused before adding, "Thanks."
Maybe my instincts were wrong. Annabelle wasn't as bad as I thought. In fact, she seems quite nice. Not as cheery as Remi, but definitely kinder. Maybe, just maybe. Who knows? But I still need to be cautious of her. My eyes are telling me that she's dangerous.
"No problem!"
"Do you need Tank, Frederick, and Pax's number? I have them right here," I asked.
"Oh no, it's okay. I have everyone's number in the class except for yours and Crystal's. Haha, I'm basically close to everyone except for the two of you!!" She laughed.
"I'll send you my number after this. You will probably have to ask Crystal for her number yourself. She might get mad if I gave it to someone without her permission. If you want, you could run to the convenience store right now and get her number. She's always there around this time buying food."
"Wow, you two sure are close. You even know what she does at this time!"
"Not really, I just happened to bump into her the other day, that's all."
"Hey, can I ask you a question?"Annabelle asked softly.
"Yeah, sure. What is it?" I pressed the phone against my ear.
"Are you and Crystal dating?"
"What? Where did you hear that from?"
"You sound so calm. The girls in class have been rumouring that Crystal doesn't talk to anyone except for you. Just the other day, you also saw the two of you having lunch together. Also, while swimming, both of you ran off to culinary class alone. So are you two dating?" Annabelle sounded confused.
Trust me, I am shocked.
"We are just friends. We have similar habits and hobbies, but that's about it. I do love the water, but right now, I can't do that." I answered calmly.
"Well then, exchanging numbers should be no problem then!" She chimed. "By the way, why can't you swim right now? Is something wrong?"
Great, I managed to pique her curiosity.
"I can't really say. Sorry,"
By not answering her query, she will get even more interested in me. That is something I can guarantee.
"Not telling me after getting me curious? How mean! Hahaha!!" She giggled.
"Sorry, that was not my intention."
"Haha, it's okay. I was just joking," She smiled. "I'll try my best to get Tank, Frederick, and Pax to join Crystal's study group."
"Ah, thanks. Sorry if I bothered you."
"No, no! I just finished showering, so it's fine. Bye,"
"Bye,"
"Man, that was tough. Talking to people is so tiring," I groaned as I sank into my sofa. "What time is it?" I glanced at my phone. It was a quarter to ten. I had fifteen minutes to bathe before sleeping then.
"Sigh, I still need to throw my trash," I rubbed the back of my neck in dismay. "Firstly, I should shower first."
I walked to the bathroom and grabbed my towel.
"A nice hot shower will do today. It's been so tiring running errands for people." I groaned.
The warm water fell on my face like raindrops. Reaching for the shampoo, I studied my body.
"It's surprising that my body is still not out of shape by now. It has been so long since I have seen myself in the mirror. Perhaps it was due to the overwhelming paperwork Matron left me. I kept working overtime because of her."
That bitch.
I wrapped the towel around my waist and admired my white hair and beautiful violet eyes in the mirror. If you asked me which part I liked the most, it would probably be my eyes.
The colour of my eyes took after my mother. It was as beautiful as I remembered it. Violet with carefully sprinkled white flakes, and a small star shape in the centre if you looked carefully. However, the shape of my eyes…it probably came from my father. Even though his was not obvious, I think I had the same hunter eyes as he did. They were as sharp as his were, both in shape and skill. He could detect something miles away, and now, so could I. Though the shape of my eyes differed from his slightly…
THUDDD
"Huh?"
I spun around.
"What was that?"
"Someone…someone help me…" I heard a voice in my ear.
"Huh? What was that?" I looked around the room.
No choice.
"Prism of Fate," I commanded.
A prism slowly formed in my hand.
"O magic eye of mine, search them all 「Astra Nocturne」!!" When I opened my eyes once more, I could see everything at once. "Search for the one that called for help," I muttered.
My eyes immediately led me to the area below our dorm.
"Nothing seems different here…" My voice trailed off.
There she was, collapsed on the floor, her cheeks too red. A high fever, maybe? Her strawberry blonde hair blew in the cold wind as she shivered. Her eyes were barely open.
Isla?
The leader of Class B?
"She'll be fine. Someone will help her."
I turned back to the shower, ready to wear my clothes.
With the last ounce of strength, she cried out once more,
"Someone…help me…"
I froze.
"Sigh, you've really hit my weak spot, Isla," I sighed, combing my hand through my hair helplessly.
"I'll come get you."
I reached out my hand and ordered, "Close." And the small screen projected from the prism closed and returned to my palm.
And from then on, I ran. I ran as fast as I could. I didn't care what others thought of me in the heat of the moment. I just ran. No one would even notice me anyway. It's been so long since I had run with such urgency.
"O darkness that clings to the soul—trap the movement of all, 「Shadow Bind」."
Threads of shadow coiled up my body and bound my towel firmly around my waist.
They were all giving me weird stares, but I didn't care. Isla was losing consciousness soon, and I needed to get to her before she did. There were still two flights of stairs. What should I do?
"Someone…help me…"
Those words hit home. It reminds me of the time Reine was bullied back on Earth for losing hair. No, I must not let the same thing happen again. No matter who or where, I must not let anything bad happen to the people who muster up the courage to call for help.
Taking a deep breath, I grabbed onto the railing of the corridor and leapt down. "Hey, what are you doing?!!" Curious onlookers shouted at me, but I paid them no heed. Instead, I ran towards Isla.
"Are you okay? Can you stand?" I asked frantically. At least I thought I said it frantically or with a little bit more urgency than intended.
"Huh?"
She opened her eyes slightly.
I immediately scooped her up. Her condition was worse than I thought.
"Thanks…for saving…" She managed to say before losing consciousness.
Her body was warmer than I had imagined.
In her critical condition, she needs to see a doctor right now. I kept her body close to mine as I ran. She could feel safer, maybe.
"Ace?"
Our eyes met.
She was leaning against a wall drinking a warm cup of coffee.
"Kaori…" I muttered.
Kaori looked somewhat shocked, but I continued running. Right now, Isla's condition was more important than explanations.