"Azariah."
Just as I turned back to walk towards the class, Oliver called me again.
"What?" I asked as I walked.
"Who is that girl?" He whispered, glancing at Ashlyn.
"I met her at the entrance." Saying so, I looked back at her. "Ashlyn, let's go!"
"Y-yeah," she replied, quickening her steps.
The rest of them also started to walk as I took out my phone, opening the browser.
"What are you searching?" And, of course, the fucker had to interrupt.
"Life meter," I replied as I opened a shopping app while removing Oliver's hand from my shoulder.
"Huh? The ones that are used by old people?" He mused, looking at me puzzled.
"Yeah, that one," I replied as I again removed his hand from my shoulder. "Now go talk with the others."
"Yeah, I need to talk with Aaliyah." Turning on his heels, he headed towards the rest of them.
[Why are you purchasing such an item?]
El asked, matching Oliver's puzzlement.
'For having an idea about how much life I have,' I replied as I paid for the item. 'All I know is that I have ten years to live, but after ranking up, that should increase. I just want to know how much.'
"Azariah." I looked to my side, placing my phone back in my pocket as Ashlyn tapped my shoulder. "Your friend?"
"Oliver?" I asked, looking back at him as he talked with Miley. "Well, I've known him since childhood."
"Oh, you both seem close," she whispered, nodding her head.
[And you said everyone hates you.]
"He is close," I replied as we entered another building, moving towards the elevator.
'And they don't hate me just yet,' I replied to El as we entered the elevator, 'but as the days go by, they will come to hate me, well, in the game, that is.'
[So are you going to do the same?]
'....No.'
In the game, Azariah did so many things in the span of one month after entering the academy that even those closest to him stopped aiding him or trying to help him in any matter.
The only exception was his fiancée, but in the end, she also left him alone.
"All in?" I shifted my focus towards Oliver as he looked inside the elevator. "Then let's go."
"Wait, who are you again?" Aimar asked, looking at the brown-haired boy.
"Ethan." With a smile, he extended his hand. "Ethan Varon."
"No, why are you even here?" Aimar asked again, shielding Miley from him.
"It's fine," Oliver interjected as he shook Ethan's hand. "I'm Oliver Polarral, nice to meet you."
As the elevator ascended, Oliver began to introduce everyone inside.
"She is Aaliyah, Miley, Ashlyn." After introducing the girls, who nodded in reply, he focused towards us, "and the black-haired one is my brother Aimar, and the purple one is my other brother, Azariah."
And once again, my eyes met his as he nodded towards me.
"It's nice to meet all of you." With a bright smile, he said as the elevator gate opened up on the third floor.
"So, who is in the same class?" Aaliyah asked as we moved out.
"Except for you and Aimar, the rest are in the same class," I replied as I walked towards my class.
"Wait, how do you know?" She asked, looking at me.
"I remember the image from the hologram," I replied, looking at my classroom.
[[CLASSROOM C]]
With a heavy sigh, I pushed open the door and stepped into the room.
Immediately, my gaze was drawn to the woman standing on the stage.
Her curly, cascading mahogany hair reached down to her waist, framing her face with an aura of authority and power.
Her face was strikingly beautiful, with high cheekbones, a straight nose, and full lips set in a determined line.
Aloofness and coldness radiated from her as she cast a fleeting glance in my direction.
[Sigh...This is getting tiring.]
'I know, right.'
As her gaze locked onto mine, her eyes brimmed with a hatred that mirrored Ethan's, and El let out a weary sigh.
[What did you do now?]
'Please don't ask.'
Swallowing hard, I entered the class, making my way towards an empty seat, ignoring her glare.
[And now you are hiding.]
As I sat on my seat with Ashlyn beside me, El commented as I quickly placed my head down on the desk, trying my best to ignore the woman.
'....I am not hiding.' I replied, hiding myself further.
[Who is she now?]
'A genius of her generation,' I replied, 'Lauryn Ewing, head of the fallen Viscount Ewing family.'
[Ohh... Now I get it!]
'Stop exclaiming in my mind, fucker,' I grumbled as the classes started to fill with students.
"Azariah." I looked at Ashlyn as she called me.
"Hmm, something up?"
"Don't you think we should move further in?" She asked as we both sat at the end of the class close to the window.
"It's fine, there isn't going to be any class today anyway," I replied with a smile.
[Are you going to tell me what happened between the two or not.]
'Just wait for fifteen minutes you will get all the answers you will need.' I replied as I closed my eyes ignoring all the buzzing in the class.
....
"Alright, everyone!" Lauryn's voice resonated through the classroom, drawing my attention to her.
"My name is Lauryn Ewing, and from today onwards, I am the class teacher for your class."
"First of all, I welcome all of you to your new class," she continued with her rigid demeanor, addressing each student in turn. "I hope you have a pleasant first year."
'Man, I want to laugh so hard.'
[Then laugh.]
'Shut up, fucker.'
"Within the academy, you are all students, and I will treat you as such," Lauryn continued, her eyes scanning the students. "So don't expect any type of favor."
"Even if we are nobles," a student spoke up from his seat.
"What's your name?" Lauryn's voice remained calm.
"Rodney, the heir of the—"
"Get out of the class," she interjected, her tone commanding.
"What—"
"Don't make me repeat myself. Get out," she said, her gaze cold and unwavering, causing the student to nod meekly before exiting the classroom.
"Last warning. Don't act out of line here, especially not in front of me. It will not end well for your grades," Lauryn continued as she paced around the class.
The whole class silently nodded at her words.
"Anyway, I won't go much deeper into your syllabus and your grading system because it's easy for even someone with a peanut brain to understand."
[Why did she glance at you at the end?]
'Shut up, fucker!'
"So," Lauryn continued, arriving at the center of the class, "let's play a game instead."
"A game?" Ethan asked from the front row, where he sat with Oliver and Miley.
"Yes, a game." Lauryn took out a ball from her bracelet and looked around at the students. "A very simple game."
Placing the ball on the teacher's desk, she continued, "the reward for the winner will be one wish from me."
The classroom held its breath at her words.
"If your wish is within my capability and has certain limits, I will provide it. It could be a vacation for a whole month, extra marks for any subject, or even help with your work."
The classroom buzzed again as she scanned all the students, nodding her head.
"Of course, the request should not be inappropriate, or else you might get a few broken bones instead," she added, and some boys immediately clicked their tongues.
[Again, why did she look at you at the end?]
'....Just shut up, will you?'
"The rules are simple: use anything and everything in your power to hold this ball for five minutes, and you win," Lauryn gestured towards the ball.
"Weapons are allowed as well, as long as they're not sharp."
With that, she moved to the side and stood there, her eyes fixed on her watch.
"What are you waiting for? The game has started," she mumbled, and immediately the whole class rushed towards the teacher's desk.