The Author's POV

The sun slowly rose from the horizon, and Ashton City, more specifically, the Lock, basked in the warmth of the sun.

Standing at the entrance of the academy, enjoying the warmth that came from the sun, I glanced towards my right where a beautiful young girl stood.

Currently, Melissa and I were waiting at the northern entrance of the academy. According to Donna's instructions, we would soon meet students coming from one of the four great academies.

Our job was to greet them and bring them around the campus to familiarize themselves with the place. Although I wasn't sure about which academy they were from or who they were, that didn't really matter.

During the past month, I didn't stand idle.

Having learned my lesson from the situation at the Manticore building, after being made aware of the student exchange, I immediately memorized every single profile of the students that were coming to the Lock.

Regardless of the academy, be it big or small characters, I memorized everyone's profiles. Took me a while, but I forced myself to do it.

...I wasn't going to let something similar to the Manticore building situation happen again. From that point on, I learned that I needed to be prepared for everything. Instead of being unaware of what was to come in the future, it was better to proactively seek information beforehand to avoid being caught off-guard and thus lose composure.

On the topic of the dorm situation, for the past month and a half, all I did was observe.

Having learned a lot of lessons with regards to scheming and planning, I knew that haste made waste.

Therefore, I chose to observe them carefully. From their routines, behavioral patterns...everything. I made sure to engrave and memorize every little detail of their lives without missing a beat.

With the aid of Angelica's cat form, I was able to acquire a lot of information..and thanks to her, I could now finally say that they could be eliminated anytime I wished.

With my plans now completed, all that I needed to do was execute them.

But now was still not the right time. After a bit of thought, I had decided to set the pieces in motion after I came back from Immorra.

Since I was going to go there in a week's time, there was no need to overburden myself right now to get rid of them.

...after all, they weren't going anywhere anytime soon. They were merely sitting ducks from my perspective. All I needed to do was pull the trigger and everything would come toppling down.

They were no longer a priority for me.

Either way, those problems aside, I was now presented with another more annoying problem.

Glancing at Melissa who was standing next to me, trying to break the awkward silence that was between us, I asked.

"...so, how's your day going Melissa?"

Hearing my question, without hesitation Melissa responded

"Shit"

"Why's that?"

Looking at me as if I was an idiot, Melissa rhetorically said

"Do you even need to ask why?"

Frowning, I placed my hand on my chin as I pretended to fall into deep thought.

"Mhh, is it perhaps because it's too sunny outside? Understandable, girls like you want to kee-"

"Shut up"

Being told to shut up, I pretended to be offended as I once again reminded her about the fact that I was now her business partner.

"Rude, don't forget that you're now talking to your business partner"

If before I was scared of Melissa because of her influence and sadistic personality, I no longer had a reason to be scared.

Why?

the magic card

all of the efforts we put in

lines, I inwardly

no longer a need for me to fear Melissa. Thus, I could pretty much do and say all I wanted without caring about

*Tsk*

the side of her eyes, Melissa clicked her

I'll skin your throat and

with your threats? Either way, there's no way you're going to hurt your business

and down at a faster pace, Melissa slowly

seems that you're really asking

the fact that I was her

Melissa knew full well that she couldn't do anything to me. Therefore, no matter what she said,

for all the previous

me you're salty you can't do anything

"huuu..."

to suppress her rage. She was now starting to regret making a deal with Ren...the limits of her

"What? I didn't he-"

looked towards the distance. After noticing

much as I would love to continue our conversation, it

her head around, Melissa

"Where?"

"There"

students appeared on the

I noticed was their uniforms

from Lutwik

immediately able to guess the identity of the students

academy from Park city, the city that defended the east side of the human domain and that directly faced the sea. Because they

constantly fighting against sea beasts rather than demons, they fully adapted themselves to the water, and from there they had made a

in water warfare didn't mean that they were weak in land warfare. No, rather, they were just as terrifying on land as

of the students became clearer, my line of sight was immediately drawn towards two members of the

male and

Both his eyes were bright, and his entire body was emitting a boundless power that reminded me of

platinum blonde hair that gently fell all the way to her back. She had big deep sea-blue eyes and clean white skin devoid of any imperfections. With a silver reaper hanging on

walls preventing people from getting near her, the girl before me had an aura of repulsion.

Similar yet different.

my name is Nicholas Leinfall and I come from

introduced himself. As

a step to the side and

are Joshua Claymore who here is also

didn't pay close attention as I already

Ivan Dragovic, Lawrence Smith, and Aerin Leinfall, Nicholas's twin

were all each pretty strong individuals that could rank within the top 200 in our academy first years, the two that I had to pay close attention to were the Leinfall twins also known as the

the first and second place in their first-year rankings. Although individually

Nicholas with

it extremely difficult to beat them. In fact, there was a chance

was that it was made specifically for twins...and most terrifying of

least this is my twin sister Aerin

Nichola's calm voice as he

them. Just like Nicholas, everyone was neither arrogant nor overbearing. Even though Aerin was cold, she

honestly, compared to young masters, I would take them any time

"He-"

I was about to introduce myself, to my bewilderment, I found Melissa approaching them with an amiable and gentle smile

wanted to say that we are glad you guys came all the way here to this

Melissa, Nicholas shook her

"Likewise"

"..."

I was seeing correctly, I glanced