A few minutes later, we finally arrived at the Atlantis Academy and I just laid back in bed, my mind filled with all kinds of thoughts because of what had just happened tonight.
Once Ava had left, I thought that nothing would have happened, but everything just turned crazier. I ran into Zero, which was related to Perdere, the organization which is related to demons, I acquired three elves. I discovered a whole underworld organization.
Ah…just thinking about it is crazy.
However, the most important discovery I had made tonight was clearly Zero and the fact that he was from an unknown race. It was the last thing that I had expected to happen, but it did. He was also on even grounds with me.
Truth be told, I couldn’t even be sure to defeat him if I went all out. I wouldn’t die…but I couldn’t be sure that I would be able to defeat him. And that was quite worrying. There were a few people that I knew with such strength, but none of them were from an unknown race. At least, as far as I know.
“Ah…this is so tiring to think about.”
The thing that worried me the most was the fact that the seven year long war against the demons might have been an appetizer to their real strength. If people like Zero were roaming the streets like nothing, then there was a good chance that there would be even more people like this in the future.
“Should I contact one of my friends…?” I thought in the back of my mind.
After all, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to deal with this alone. I would need help if I were to face Perdere. There was one person in the back of my mind who was the perfect fit to help me. One of my good friends, however, was a little lazy, let’s put it at that.
Instead of calling him right away, I decided that I would go see him once I left Atlantis and go in person. If I were to call, there was a good chance that he wouldn’t even pick up, and even if he did, he wouldn’t care about what I said. After all, he was a person who valued sleep above everything else, which was the most irritating thing about him, but that’s also how we became such good friends with one another.
‘Wait, sleeping. Could that student in my class be related to him?’ I thought in the back of my mind as I reminded myself of the loner always sleeping in a corner of the class, never listening to a single word I said.
I had never paid much attention to him, but there had to be a reason that he was in my class.
“Haha!” I suddenly laughed, realizing that I had been quite stupid, not realizing it until now.
After all, that loner was the only one who had refused to get a special curriculum made by me. I even remember his answer.
“Sounds like too much of a bother. I’ll just go back to sleep.”
That sounds exactly like what that lazy bastard would say.
“Could it be his son?”
I rubbed my chin, thinking about it for a quick second. “Ah, whatever. I’ll just go see him after we’re done with this stupid tournament.”
Thinking about that tournament, I suddenly remembered the wager I had made against…what was his name again? Olivier? Ah, right. Oliver.
Well, it should be quite an easy win. After all, I was teaching the strongest class out of all the first years. There was no reason for me to lose at all. Nonetheless, my wager against Oliver was pretty meaningless as I couldn’t wait to see who the boss of the Ocean Outlaws was.
There was a chance that it was Lurok, and truth be told, it would make things easier for me since I had already talked with him quite a bit. I had even confirmed that he wasn’t related to Perdere, which meant that I wouldn’t have to go directly against him. However, if it were to be someone else, then I would have to get some information out of him.
After thinking of all those things, I closed my eyes and went to sleep, clearing my mind from all those thoughts.
***
Ariella POV
We just got to the Academy, and I couldn’t help but think that Caedrel, my master, was absolutely crazy, in fact. I wasn’t alone in thinking that, as both Nymira and Lirael thought the exact same; we were actually talking about it right now.
“He didn’t give any of us slave contracts, right?” Nymira said as she simply couldn’t believe it.
“I know, it makes no sense. Does he believe we won’t run away or betray him?” Her sister, Lirael, answered.
I just listened to the two of them as they talked. After all, they were the ones who had spent a lot of time as an actual slave.
“What do you think about this, princess? Are you sure you don’t want to return home and leave this man?” Nymira said, clearly worried about me and what I would say next.
However, I had already made my choice. I would never go back to the family, well, not until I was strong enough to face each and every single one of them.
“No, I don’t think he lied earlier. He truly doesn’t care what any of us decide to do. Whether we leave or stay, he won’t care. I know it might be weird to say, but I think he only bought me to free me from the rest of them.”
Nymira nodded right away. “You were lucky not to have mister Zero as a master…ever since we met him…”
She hesitated about talking to Zero. I could see through her eyes that she was extremely scared of that man. I had no idea what he had done to them, but he had to be extremely cruel.
“Ever since we met him, our life has been literal hell.”
“What did he do?” I asked. “Do you know what he really looks like?”
“…”
