"Please lead the way." Tom answered equally respectfully.
He solemnly walked behind the suited up teacher, all the way to the arbitration hall.
At this point, he is fairly sure it's the bullies from the morning who complained about him.
His guess is right on the mark. It is indeed the bullies from the morning.
They were sitting across each other at the table. Tom smirked, Hero3 and 4 flinched.
The seated school official sat in the center chair.
"Mr.Titan Goldmedal, you have been accused of using violence against your classmates. May I ask why you felt the need to use violence?" The official asked him gently.
Hero3 & 4 are dumb, but not so dumb as to not see the behavior of the school official is extremely gentle and respectful, considering he is dealing with a bully. On top of that, look at the way the question is phrased… it's like the official genuinely believed there is a sufficient cause for use of violence. He convicted them from the beginning.
"I just did not like their faces. So I gave them a little lesson. Is it wrong?" Tom answered brattily, waiting for the official's answer.
"Aah.. It is indeed regrettable Mr.Titan did not like their appearance. However, AAA has to fill certain quota for the unfortunate, so it is unavoidable for some of the unpleasant part of the society to seep in. However, it still does not make a justifiable enough reason to use violence. We will have to reprimand master Goldmedal if it is indeed the case." The official said, and waited to see Tom's response.
"He Beat us.. Mr. Teaching assistant, He . Beat . Us . " Hero4 exploded, insisting that 'he beat us' part.
"Mr. Teaching assistant ? aren't you being too biased against us? I want to see the principal. Where is the principal? We don't want someone as crappy as you arbitrating us.." Hero3 immediately threw a tantrum.
'Not bad. It only took a ridiculously non-subtle threat for them to understand the school's attitude.' Tom mused. Where is he going to use his ridiculously rich background if not for stepping on people when needed?
"Misters xxx and yyy, Please be silent. You will be given an opportunity to speak at a later point." the Teaching assistant suppressed them mercilessly.
"Mr.Goldmedal.. Please, you must give me something. Even a clever house wife can't cook without rice. The school is very motivated not to punish the righteous." the teaching assistant looked at him pleadingly. in other words, give them at least a semblance of reason, they will magnify it to punish Hero quartet instead of him.
Meanwhile, Ferocious looking PE teacher slammed his cane in front of Hero3 & 4. They finally seem to understand they have lifted a rock to smash their own foot. AAA is not the same as other schools when it comes to bullying. Tom looked at the classmates across the table smugly, till they bent their heads in despair.
He turned to the TA.
"If the Mr. TA is desperate, I am not without heart. I can not amend my original statement, but I can give you suggestions regarding the investigation process. After all, you are doing a tough and thankless job for our school. You might want to look into the financial situation of their families, and how much money they spent for the past two days." Tom said meaningfully.
Had he been a normal family student, the bullies could have taken the money and covered it up. However, Tom's allowance is probably the same amount as the other family's monthly income, or even more… That kind of money, they will never give to their children. The amount will mismatch too much, even if they have not spent all the money, the number of places where they can spend is fixed. Capable TA could track them all.
The TA is sharp on the uptake.
"Turn out your pockets." He told Hero3 & 4, looking like a demon from hell.
"We are innocent.." Hero 4 is really stupid… he is still trying to insist and all..
The Ferocious PE teacher came in to play again. He is a walking talking mass of muscle in a green tracksuit. He brandished the cane right in between Hero3 & Hero4. The cane split the air with a 'Fr...rrr.. Ump' sound. It's made goosebumps raise just from the way it whistled through the wind. Hero 3 and Hero 4 lost the last of their nerves.
They obediently turned out their pockets, which did contain the money Tom threw on ground..
"It's compensation, Teacher.. Compensation!... " they tried to insist.
"Ah.. is it? Then do you have any proof saying how and why this compensation is paid out?" Mr. TA is on to them like an alligator.
"May I excuse myself, Mr. TA? I have no further inputs regarding this case." Tom said in a bored manner.
"Yes, you may, Mr. Goldmedal. I will not keep you further. Thank you for taking out your valuable time and assisting AAA in serving justice." He said very respectfully, gesturing to the door.
The PE teacher walked around the table, came to Tom's side.
"Let me walk you out." he said.
Tom nodded and walked out of the room.
"You could have stopped them from bullying you on the first day." The PE teacher said conversationally.
"Did not feel the need to." Tom replied back.
"Even after going through all that, you give your father's needs higher priority.." the man grumbled at the child.
Tom did not answer. The PE teacher is one of his past trainers. He got along well with him, enough for the teacher to be called 'little uncle'. However, Mr.Strom strongly disapproved of the ways his father used to train him, leading to his dismissal. Tom was very sad when that happened. Since then, the teacher must have been holding some grudges against his father.
"I am merely facilitating punishment of some bullies." Tom answered.
Mr.Strom harrumphed in answer.
They reached the corner for the classes soon, they bid goodbye to each other.
It is only after his most favorite teacher left, Tom started properly analyzing his situation…
'Asking young master to win against wizards is an impossible goal, Mr. Goldmedal. Do you want him to be a hamster on a walking wheel?" he remembered his teacher asking his father angrily.
'Only I will decide what my son is.' his father said, as he threw out Mr. Strom.
However, in a place unseen, the words penetrated Tom's heart deeply.
Mr. Strom always insisted a political fight is the highest form of battle, and money can always compensate for physical strength. An opinion, perfect opposite of his father's.
He realized, over time, he is more inclined to think his teacher is correct.
From that time onwards, he started resisting training and started observing people. In retrospect, Mr. Strom's advice was both timely and infinitely more useful.
Thus, his respect for the man only increased.
However, now that he is a little grown and able to exert his own rank when needed, he realized the situation is a little off. In the first place, Mr. Strom was a mere tutor. Why was he able to talk back to his father with so much confidence? On top of that, he always felt it, but his father seemed to have a mild dislike for Mr. Strom, he never could understand why. Is there a backstory between his father and Mr. Strom?
"Tom" One of his latest friends waved him over excitedly, dismissing all of Tom's thoughts for the moment. He reverted back to cheery little teddy bear as he bounced over to his friend.
The day after dawned clearly and brightly.
Tom left their mansion before his father. He has been told repeatedly their manor was designed by his mother, to reflect old European castles, while providing the convenience of modern technology. They have a ten meter tall granite stone wall, and even a moat surrounding that wall. Two towers stood on either side of the gate, where security checked all incoming and outgoing vehicles.
The front garden is small, and all lawn with some stone eggs having flowering plants arranged artfully among them. There are realistic looking petrol dog sculptures interspersed among the lawn. It's a strange feature, one that surprises guests every time they come. They almost always expect the dog to run, but it never does.. It is only after some time they realize, the dog is a sculpture. What they don't know is that the dog's eyes are cameras. It does aerial survey, also, at times captures tick tock worthy videos of slapstick comedy. Thankfully, the videos are strictly kept confidential.
In other words, he lives in a pretentious big ass manner, now he is going to a pretentious big ass event, where he will be making a forceful beast taming contract with a pretentious big ass beast. Ah.. that word will do nicely.. Today's theme ~ 'Pretentious big ass' ..
They arrived at the school before his thoughts could turn any more morbid. He saw the Hero ensemble on the road, they split down from the quartet to two distinct duos. He assumed Hero 1 & 2 decisively betrayed Hero 3 & 4. He is right on the mark. Hero 1 decisively betrayed, hero 2, who had received a lightning refresher course about 'Titan Goldmedal's white and black side' from Hero1 followed without doubts. Titan would have disagreed fervently if he heard all Hero1 have to say about him, but he wasn't listening. So, he automatically acquired a big black villain status in hero2's eyes. Which eventually became half the student population, for hero2 is an SNS star. Where is he supposed to vent all his frustration at but on the internet?
The function started right on time.
There was a movement to wear black armbands in protest of Titan receiving the golden dragon. Due to Hero2's propaganda, half the school did not wear them. The rest wore black armbands with yellow letters saying Titan Goldmedal is undeserving of a unique beast. Titan himself agreed, but these people have some nerve saying that while taking the charity from Goldmedal corp. However, he left them alone.
Why?
Simple.
His father is far more petty compared to him. He will make sure all these kids are crying tears of blood by the end of the day.
The principal and company executives are seated…
Titan prepared himself mentally. He will be suffering some hardships after today.
"Now, I invite Mr. Titan Goldmedal to the stage, for the demonstration of beast taming contract."
Titan walked on to the stage.
He let a drop of blood fall in the clear bowl…
All the videos focused on the white petri dish.
A red flower bloomed in the dish.
For a moment, he feared if the devouring worm does not fit the status of a beast and it will not form up an image.
Then, slowly but steadily, the red newt formed in the plate, swam from one edge to another slowly, but steadily.
Titan looked up.
His father's face is turning icy.. And icier yet.
The surrounding people shied away from his father, feeling the oppressive aura that advertised 'Doom.. Destruction.. Kill'. Then all of his focus turned on to Titan.
This is the most frightening moment in Titan's long life of fourteen years.
Then his father asked him a single question.
"When did you get a contracted beast ? "