In an empty classroom, two figures quietly attended to their own tasks, the only sounds punctuating the silence were the rustle of paper and the scratching of pens.
Valentina, preparing for the upcoming midterms, sought assistance from none other than Edward.
Glancing over at Edward, who was deeply engrossed in a book while she tackled her "fun math problems," Valentina couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration.
'What am I even doing anymore?' she wondered, realizing she had gotten the math problem wrong for the fifth time.
She hesitated to ask Edward for help again, feeling embarrassed about repeatedly seeking his assistance.
'I am a high noble! He should be the one suffering, not me!' Valentina grumbled inwardly, silently cursing the subject that eluded her grasp.
As her frustration grew, Valentina found herself at a loss. Not only had she failed to maintain a low profile, but she also struggled with the 'threat' posed by Edward.
'How do I extract information from him?' she pondered, casting a wary eye at Edward, who sat calmly with crossed legs, seemingly unfazed by the fact that she could easily end his life.
'Either he's insane or he's possibly working with "them" — those damn hunters,' Valentina seethed silently, her teeth gritted at the thought of their adversaries.
But before she could continue her internal tirade, Edward's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Stuck again?" he inquired, breaking the silence.
"Hmm? Ah, y-yeah," Valentina stuttered nervously, berating herself for her lack of composure. 'Why am I stuttering? He's just a mere human, that's right, a human!' she scolded herself silently.
With no change in his expression, Edward closed his book and leaned forward. "Stuck at the same question? It's a tricky one, after all," he remarked coolly, offering his assistance.
"You can solve it using another method. Here, I'll show you," Edward continued, taking the pen from Valentina's hand and flipping her notebook over to demonstrate the alternate approach.
Observing Edward's effortless problem-solving abilities, I couldn't help but wonder about his past.
According to Albert's report, he had lived on the streets for 14 years before reemerging into society.
However, Thomas believed that no person who had been absent for 14 years could possess such proficiency in both academics and physical endeavors.
Where had Edward been during those years? How had he survived, and where had he acquired his skills? And most importantly, was he a threat to us?
That's what I aimed to uncover.
Watching Edward patiently explain his methods, I decided to wait until he had finished before broaching the subject of his past — or rather, to interrogate him about it.
After some time, I reviewed the math problems, realizing that I had successfully solved each one using the method Edward had taught me.
Despite my reluctance, I couldn't deny his effectiveness as a teacher.
"It's already past 3 PM. I'll be heading out now. Take care," Edward announced, preparing to leave.
But I couldn't let him leave just yet.
"W-Wait!" I blurted out, He stiffened up a little.
"Hmm? Is there something wrong?" Edward inquired, his expression unchanged.
How should I proceed from here? I couldn't simply ask him to divulge his past.
"I... I saw the basketball match you had against Thomas," I began tentatively, hoping to steer the conversation in the right direction.
Edward regarded me intently, silently encouraging me to continue.
"You seem to be good at playing basketball. I was wondering, do you practice?" I asked, attempting to keep the conversation light.
"No, not at all. In fact, I've never played any sports. That was the first time I touched a basketball," Edward replied without hesitation, meeting my gaze squarely.
"But you did so well," I remarked, genuinely impressed.
"Thomas wasn't a basketball pro either. I just defended, and that was all," Edward explained casually.
"I... Is that so?" I faltered, struggling to keep the conversation going. I couldn't trust Thomas enough to let him near Edward; his interest in Edward was purely for amusement.
Thomas would of used force regardless if Edward was a threat or not.
I really didn't want to resort to force against Edward, but if he refused to cooperate, I would have no choice.
Watching Edward turn to leave, I hastily interjected, "Um, Edward, would you like to have a match with me?"
"A match?" Edward echoed, turning back to face me.
"Y-Yes, maybe a one-on-one basketball match?" I proposed, unsure of my own motives.
But I couldn't let him off the hook without gaining any information.
Edward regarded me in silence for a long moment before shaking his head. "You cannot be serious. Anyway, the answer is no, so I'll be off now," he declined politely, preparing to depart.
As I watched him exit the room, I realized that now wasn't the right time to interrogate him, especially when we were surrounded by surveillance.
'I need to get him somewhere alone, where nobody's around,' I mused, considering my options.
The forest just beyond the school's boundary seemed like the perfect place. But how could I lure him there, alone?
Suddenly, an idea flashed into my mind, and I immediately reached out to Albert. Edward might not like it, but I had no other choice if I wanted him to cooperate.
Even if he does not cooperate, there is a way to force cooperation out of him. He might hate me for it, but I am doing this all for my survival, for our survival.