Gnashing his teeth, Varic hatefully glared at Nein before proceeding to leave with the girls.
"Ar-Are you alright!?" Duth and the others rushed over toward Nein, bombarding him with their worries.
"You will be in that Nobel's books after this." Srid pitied the lad. "But what I don't understand is, why did you even blame this on us?" He glanced toward Jenny. Causing the latter to be startled.
"U-Um! I am sorry for interrupting but I have to go somewhere." Nein sheepishly scratched his cheek before running off.
"Poor guy. That loss must've been bad. Not only is he going to be bullied by that Nobel now, but he's even going to get a bad reputation. He must feel pretty down." Mika's gaze turned perplexed, "But the question remains, why did you blame us?"
As the team questioned Jenny, Nein rushed toward the passage the Nobel had taken.
Just as he turned corners, he saw the guy slouching next to the wall with his eyes shut, alone.
Hearing the steps, his eyes opened. A tense mood took over as their eyes met.
A few seconds passed unbearably, before suddenly, Varic grinned and flashed a thumbs up, "Nice job buddy! The plan worked, proud to have made you my partner."
Nein chuckled, "You are exaggerating."
Varic nodded and laughed heartily, "I know, I know."
Nein's smile darkened, "Alright, give me your number."
"Type it down." Varic pulled out his phone and handed it to Nein, his profile opened for Nein's ease.
As Nein busied himself, Varic couldn't help but chuckle at the earlier situation, "The moment I saw you, and saw your appearance. I knew you had something in your packed body."
"Honestly, if you hadn't muttered for me to play along at the start, things would've been way different." Nein chuckled, remembering Varic mumbling next to his ears just as he was about to sell Jenny out.
"Humph! You would've regretted not doing as I said after you hurled that ice cream at me." Varic smile turned strange.
"Did the girls buy it though?" Nein asked while trying to find the contacts where he could save the number.
"Yep! And with your heavy power and strong resilience, they were even more convinced than me that you were using Crafts. But that just highlighted that I had a so-called Manipulation Craft which I could use on them any time. Since you couldn't resist, they wouldn't last either. Now they are acting like good little kittens. Not giving me as much trouble as earlier." Varic licked his lips, excited for the upcoming night. "I just told em to wait up as I quickly go wash my hair in the bathroom. Haha!"
"Yep, here!" Nein, while shoving his phone in his pocket, handed Varic's phone over.
But just as the latter intended to take it, Nein retracted his hand. With a chilly glance, he extorted, "Three!"
Varic's smile froze, "Of course. I am not the type to go back on my words."
"Good!" With a pleased nod, Nein handed the phone over and left waving his hand. "Pleasure to be friends, Nobel Varic Ravenia."
Varic smirked and left, "You too, Nein."
As Nein walked back to his team, he couldn't help but doubt everything that happened, "He owes me three now, right?"
Earlier, Varic had whispered into his ear to help me out to woo the girls. He wanted to frighten the girls by making them believe he had Manipulation Craft. That if they were too resistant, he could directly manipulate them. And that would be bad for them.
Nein had asked what he would get out of it and the two were negotiating about it the whole time in battle. The conclusion was that Varic would help Nein out with three things, whatever they were, but nothing too overboard.
'Though I hoped he would agree on five.' Shrugging, Nein glanced at the visible tension between the teams. His thoughts returned to the matter at hand.
'Why did he single me out like that though?' With lines decorated on his forehead, he glanced at Jenny with feigned anger, "Why the heck did you do that for?"
"He's back. Now explain." Rua glared at Jenny.
Jenny surprised that Nein returned, mumbled something before bowing under a firm push from Feddi, "Ple-Please forgive him!"
Haien frowned, "He— I know you won't believe this. But he didn't mean anything. He was just trying to play around. But he always ends up messing up. This isn't his first time."
"No! You are wrong, he has screwed up twice today." Asae reprimanded them, his brows sloping downwards. "He deserves punishm—"
Jenny, still being made to bow, directed a chilly glare at Asae, causing the latter to almost bite his tongue.
Srid's eyes glowed as his eyes tracked Asae's feet skidding back. Averting gazes, he stammered while completing his words, "N-Nothing. Forget it."
Gimmy had an ironic grin as he watched Asae's temperament break.
But Haien, as if oblivious to everything, spoke up, "Please, Nein, consider forgiving him. And, we must thank you also. If not for you, not only you, all nine of us would've been dragged into this pickle as well."
"Yes! She's correct. Thank you!" Feddi bowed as well, knocking Jenny on the head to follow along, "T-Thank you!"
Mika clicked her tongue, "It sounds so shitty coming out of his mind."
Jenny's body trembled slightly. Feddi's heart palpitated as he pinched him hard.
Looking at all this drama, Rua massaged his head, "Just the way you did earlier," he directed his face toward Nein, "You choose what to do."
Nein looked at Jenny, who seemed so ashamed that he couldn't lift his head. And at the hopeful, sincere puppy eyes of Haien.
Feddi, still bowing, glanced at Nein from the corner of his eye, hoping for mercy.
After thinking long and hard, Nein sighed and nodded, "It's fine. Besides, what's done is done. Nothing can change it."
"Really? Thank you!!" Haien's expression beamed brightly, jumping over, she hugged Nein tightly and looked into his eyes, "Thank you a bunch!"
She looked like a kid cuddling with an adult due to the severe disparity in their size.
Gimmy had a mocking glow in his eyes as he watched Haien, 'Bitch! She doesn't realize anything.'
Asae heaved a sigh of relief, 'Maybe now he will forget what I was about to say.' He glanced at Jenny from the corner of his eyes.
His spine tingled realizing the latter was gazing back at him, instead of rejoicing.
"H-Hey, Jenny!" Haien looked back and made a cute pout, "Aren't you going to thank him?"
"Yes, our two teams' relationship hasn't sored due to his benignity. You should thank him." Feddi chimmed in alongside her.
Jenny incredulously looked at Feddi and Haien, his lip seemed to twitch slightly as he coughed out the words, "Th-Thank you!"
"Hmm!" Nein nodded, "You better be." He turned his head toward Rua, "I think we should head over to our rooms. It's getting late. Our... classes start from tomorrow as well." He had a weary smile as he considered himself studying.
"We have training too," Duth added, sweating slightly as he remembered reading the schedule.
Nein looked at him in surprise, "Training?" He remembered hearing about classes but training.
"Come on, I will give you the details on our way out." Rua chuckled, urging him to get going.
"Why're you smiling so much?" Mika questioned, glancing at Nein.
Nein stopped peeking from the corner of his eyes, his smile withdrawn instantly, "Just amused at my miserable fate."
"Jenny, calm down." Feddi tried forcing a smile. Eying Jenny as he stood frozen with his eyes affixed at the group vanishing from his eyes. His clenched fists trembled ever so gently.
Haien could swear he said something along the lines of, "I will murder that whoreson." Under his murmurs.
"Je-Jenny!" Haien stepped closer, her hands extending out for him.
"Asae!" Jenny, blatantly ignoring Haien, shifted his eyes toward Asae. Making the latter shudder.
"Come outside for a second."