Chapter 21 – Shiver of Anger
The next morning, the pale light of the sun filtered through the stained-glass windows of Etheria Academy. In the hallways, the bustle of students mixed with loud chatter and hurried footsteps. Everyone was preparing for a day that promised to be exceptional. Seth, Kael, Tara, Damian, and Teddy rose early, their minds still haunted by Roy's feat from the day before.
— I still can't believe a first-year defeated a professor… murmured Seth as he adjusted his robe.
— And was promoted directly into Class A… Tara added, still confused.
— Some prodigies… nothing stops them, Damian said with a half-smile. But it sure puts pressure on the rest of us.
Roy walked toward the grand reception hall of Building A, a circular chamber adorned with ancient frescoes, lit by suspended crystals. The air itself felt heavier there, saturated with authority and history.
The five prodigies of Class A were already lined up:
Saber, No. 1, impassive and proud.
Sharai, No. 2, calculating and attentive.
Chris, No. 3, impatient and hot-blooded.
Vegas, No. 4, relaxed but vigilant.
Melissa, No. 5, elegant and cold.
Roy entered last, striding confidently. His badge displayed the number 11, and he stood tall, chin slightly raised, with the faintest trace of a smile on his lips. Even the shadows seemed to bow before him.
— Roy… said Luxurius, smoothing his long robe, I had certain expectations of you…
Roy barely shrugged, indifferent. He made no effort to appear apologetic or even interested.
— That kid… Chris muttered to Melissa, I already hate him.
Roy turned, a cold smile tugging at his lips:
— You're wasting your time with me.
Chris, red with fury, shot up from his seat.
— Don't get cocky just because you beat a professor! If you keep acting like that, I'll fight you myself!
Roy's eyes narrowed slightly, his voice cutting through the air like a blade:
— Chris… you don't even interest me… You're far too weak to entertain me for even a single minute.
Chris clenched his fists, shaking, ready to explode. Melissa placed a hand on his arm.
— Calm down… we're not here to fight.
Saber frowned and addressed the rector:
— Headmaster Luxurius, why have you summoned us? And why is Roy present?
Luxurius inhaled deeply, his voice resonating with both authority and icy finality:
— Roy had an arrangement with Professor Bastien… whom I expelled this morning.
The five prodigies exchanged stunned glances. Roy, however, remained perfectly unmoved.
---
Flashback – A few hours earlier…
Luxurius' office was vast and majestic, lit by pale, cold crystals. Bastien stood rigid, unable to hold the rector's piercing gaze. The air itself vibrated with Luxurius' restrained power, his presence at once overwhelming and mocking.
— Bastien… began Luxurius, his voice soft but sharp as a knife, do you even realize the image you've given this Academy? A Class A professor, humiliated in front of his students… Truly pathetic.
Bastien lowered his eyes, unable to respond. Each word from the rector drove a nail deeper into his pride.
— But don't feel too sorry for yourself… Luxurius continued with a cruel smile. You underestimated Roy… a mere student… and look at you now.
Bastien's hands trembled slightly. His throat tightened. Every year of work, every sacrifice, every hard-won victory—it all seemed to vanish in that moment.
— Even if no arrangement had ever existed between you and Roy, Luxurius went on coldly, your incompetence and arrogance make you unfit to remain here.
Luxurius handed him an envelope.
— Here is your notice. You will leave the Academy immediately. Your severance has been processed at the reception.
Bastien's heart shattered. Shame and grief crushed him.
Then, Luxurius pulled out Bastien's official diploma.
— Let's see what becomes of this… Luxurius said with chilling sarcasm. A diploma for a professor… for someone who no longer deserves the title.
With slow, deliberate cruelty, Luxurius tore the diploma into shreds. Bastien froze, his voice breaking:
— No… everything I worked for…
— Pardon? Luxurius mocked, eyes glinting. Here, only results matter. You were outclassed by a student. That is the end of it.
Bastien left the office, his steps heavy, the shredded fragments of his diploma burning in his memory like the final blow to his pride and career.
---
Back to the present
Luxurius now stood motionless at the far end of the reception hall, his gaze sharp as blades of ice, scanning each of the five prodigies. The weight of his presence bore down on them, thick and suffocating. Every breath, every twitch seemed amplified under his scrutiny.
— Roy's feat, the rector began, his voice a chilling blend of gravity and measured satisfaction, earned him a considerable number of points.
The prodigies exchanged tense, incredulous looks. Their posture stiffened, the hall itself seemed to shrink, its ancient frescoes glaring down as silent judges. The very air vibrated with Luxurius' contained magic.
— Therefore, Luxurius declared, his voice sharper, cutting through the silence like thunder, I have decided Roy will be Number One of Class A.
A shockwave rippled through the prodigies. Chris' face burned crimson. Melissa gripped her knees tightly. Saber and Vegas glanced at one another uneasily. Their badges seemed to pulse with unnatural light, reacting to the enormity of the decision.
— A first-year… Number One… Melissa whispered, incredulous, dripping with disdain.
— A first-year far stronger than you all, Luxurius snapped, his icy gaze pinning each of them. Aren't you ashamed? You five, who call yourselves prodigies, who think yourselves untouchable… Silence!
The ground trembled faintly at his words, enough to send a chill through every one of them. The magical pressure in the air made their clothes ripple, their hair shift as though in a storm. Even Roy, standing tall and confident, felt a bead of sweat slide down his temple. His heart quickened; the sheer force radiating from Luxurius was undeniable, crushing, oceanic.
— Will any of you contest my decision? Luxurius asked, his voice booming like restrained thunder, the very walls seeming to close in.
Silence. Heavy, suffocating silence. None of the prodigies could meet his gaze. One by one, their heads bowed—submission, humiliation, defeat.
— Good, Luxurius said at last, a thin, glacial smile curling his lips. I trust I've made myself clear.
He rose slowly, each movement precise, his magical aura distorting the very air around him. As he turned to leave, he stopped before Saber.
— Come to my office later.
Saber swallowed hard, his heart pounding.
— Yes… sir.
Roy stood still, watching Luxurius depart. A strange tension lingered in the air, almost hypnotic. Even his arrogance seemed dimmed before the headmaster's overwhelming power—like a single drop against the ocean.
The five prodigies remained frozen. The chamber seemed to close in on them, every crystal's reflection twisting into dark, threatening shapes on the walls and floor.
The silence that followed was crushing, suffused with anger and incomprehension. Chris finally snapped, his voice cracking under the weight:
— This… this is impossible… I refuse to accept it…
Melissa, cold but shaken, muttered:
— A child… he's far too strong…
Saber and Vegas kept their heads bowed, jaws clenched tight, while Roy stood untouched, his composure unbroken—Number 11, yet sovereign, defying the world in silence.
To be continued…