Amanda sat on Aria's bed, brushing out the documents Aria had asked for. Outside the bedroom door, two grown men were still wrestling silently like wild animals—but thankfully, Aria couldn't hear a thing.
Inside the room, Aria tied her loose hair and sat cross-legged on the bed.
"Amanda," she said softly, "tell me about the third brother."
Amanda's hands paused.
Her expression turned complicated.
"You mean… Master Aiden?"
Aria nodded."Yes. Where is he now? Elias said he was 'lost'. But Elias tends to hide painful things."
Amanda lowered her head."He didn't want to worry you on your first day back. Master Aiden wasn't literally lost. He's… in high school."
Aria blinked."…What?"
Amanda sighed.
"After you disappeared, Master Aiden became extremely depressed. The teachers said he never talked. Some students in his class started bullying him. They thought he was weak because of how quiet he became."
Aria's eyes narrowed instantly."Who. Bullied. Him?"
"A group of students," Amanda explained carefully. "Led by… Ryana."
Aria's jaw clenched.
That name again.
"That girl's hands are everywhere," Aria muttered coldly.
Amanda nodded."Ryana told her followers to harass him. They stole his lunch, wrote insults on his desk, cornered him in the bathroom—she wanted him to become a joke."
Aria's nails dug into the blankets.
"And what happened?"
Amanda hesitated.
"…He snapped."
Aria blinked."What do you mean 'snapped'?"
Amanda cleared her throat.
"He beat them up."
Aria frowned."How badly?"
Amanda lifted three fingers."Three ambulances were needed."
Aria sat up straight.
"And after that?"
"No one dared to bully him again. Now… Master Aiden is known as the school's bully." Amanda whispered. "Students fear him more than the teachers. Even the principal tries not to cross him."
A long silence.
Aria inhaled sharply.
"So Ryana destroyed the gentle, soft-hearted little Aiden I knew… and turned him into someone feared by everyone."
Amanda nodded."Yes. Because he had no sister to protect him anymore."
Aria's eyes darkened.
Ryana.
This was the third mess.
And Aria would clean it.
Amanda stretched cautiously."So… what do you want to do?"
Aria lay back on the bed, hands behind her head.
"We sleep."
Amanda blinked.
"…Sleep?"
"Yes." Aria blanketed herself. "I'll destroy Ryana tomorrow."
Amanda nodded respectfully.
"Understood."
They turned off the lights, and Aria drifted into sleep—planning strategies inside her dreams.
The Next Morning
The Titan mansion smelled of freshly baked bread and warm soup.
Aria walked downstairs wearing a simple white dress, her hair tied in a ponytail. Leon and Elias were already at the breakfast table—surprisingly not fighting.
Leon waved excitedly."Aria! Morning!"
Elias adjusted her chair for her."Sit. Eat."
She scooped some porridge and tasted it."Mm. Good."
Leon stretched."Today I'm going back to train—"
"Leon," Aria interrupted, "you're going back to school."
Leon dropped his spoon.
"HUH?!"
Elias nearly choked on his coffee."Excuse me?"
Aria calmly took another bite of porridge.
"Amanda told me Aiden is still in high school."
Leon and Elias both stiffened.
Aria raised her eyes at them."And I want to attend high school."
Leon slammed his hands on the table."WHY?! That's BORING!"
Elias frowned."You're already of graduation age. Why go backwards? Just rest at home."
Aria stared at them blankly."Shut up."
Both men instantly went silent.
Aria continued calmly,"I want to meet the third brother. And I want to see what Ryana has been doing."
Leon groaned dramatically and threw his head back."Sis, high school is full of annoying kids. You'll hate it."
"I'm already annoyed," Aria replied. "I'll survive."
Elias rubbed his temple."You don't need to physically go there. Just call Aiden home."
Aria shook her head."He won't come. Not if he thinks he's damaged and a danger to others."
She looked at Elias seriously.
"Elias. Arrange my transfer to Aiden's school."
Elias frowned deeply but nodded.
"…Fine."
Leon pointed at himself."What about me?"
Aria glared at him.
"You, Leon, are also going back to study."
Leon looked like she had stabbed him.
"ME?! SCHOOL?! ARE YOU CRAZY?!"
"You never finished your education."
"I RACED! THAT COUNTS AS LIFE EDUCATION!"
Aria tapped the table."No. You're going."
Leon dramatically fell out of his chair.
"I REFUSE!"
Aria leaned down and whispered in his ear.
"If you don't go… I will personally drag you to class every morning."
Leon froze.
Then sat back up straight.
"…When does school start?"
Elias laughed under his breath.
Aria wasn't done.
"We'll be uniting with Aiden soon. And when we do, we must show him he's not alone anymore."
Elias's expression softened.
Leon looked away, pretending not to care, but his fists tightened.
Aria placed her spoon down and looked at both of them.
"This time… no one will lay a hand on him."
Leon smirked."Whoever tries will get a fist from me."
Elias corrected sharply,"You will NOT fist-fight in school."
Aria nodded in approval.
"Correct. No fighting."
Then she looked at Leon.
"You will only fight after school hours."
Leon grinned brightly."Deal!"
Elias rubbed his forehead, clearly questioning his life decisions.
Aria stood from her chair.
"Arrange it today. I want to start tomorrow."
Elias sighed deeply."I'll handle the documents."
Leon pouted."I want a cool uniform."
"No," Elias answered instantly.
Leon glared."You're jealous because I'll look better in it."
Elias said coldly,"If you don't behave, I'll enroll you in kindergarten."
Leon gasped."YOU WOULDN'T—"
Aria clapped her hands.
"Enough. Go."
The brothers instantly got up.
Because when Aria gave an order—there was no second option.
Amanda walked in holding a folder.
"Miss Aria, the school uniforms are ready."
Aria smiled slightly.
"Good. Tomorrow… we enter Aiden's world."
And this time—no one would put her brother in prison ever again.