Jin tightly held the red gem in his hand.
"B-Back off... Or I'll destroy the seal!" He threatened, raising the stone up. Kyouko and Ryujin entered a stance, ready to lunge in upon Stella's signal.
However, Stella remained still, only looking at Jin in pity.
Jin felt that no one felt threatened. Desperation began rushing up to him again...
Even he isn't sure of the exousia stone's power. If he undo the seal, and the power is out of his energy range, it could easily kill him.
"You plan on killing yourself here on the school grounds?" Stella asked stoically.
Jin didn't answer. He threatened that he would undo the seal. However, deep inside him, he's scared.
He tried to suppress the shaking of his muscles, and the weakness of his feet.
However, it was all too obvious.
"Drop it. The worst you can have is expulsion. However, undo the seal, and you'll end up in jail, Jin. You won't harm anyone because I am here, and so is Ryujin and Kyouko."
"I-I don't care! M-My life is already ruined."
And... Mustering up all his strength, he destroyed the stone, releasing a huge shockwave of energy around. The energy shockwave was ferocious, and strong, enough to uproot all the trees within the forest.
Stella looked at him in disdain.
"Stella-Senpai?! Orders?!"
Ryujin yelled out. He, Kyouko, and Ayumi covered their eyes with their arms and stood their ground to not be swept by the intense energy.
However, Stella only stood still, as if the immense energy wasn't affecting her, with a stoic expression clear on her face.
"I pity you, Jin." She mumbled. In the next second, her eyes began glowing a light, nature-green. And like a vampiric leech, her sole gaze slowly drained him of magic energy.
Jin's strength began to falter, and so did the energy leaking out of the stone. Slowly, and surely, the continuous shockwaves of energy ceased, and Jin's body eventually fell unconscious on the ground.
Kyouko, Ayumi and Ryujin's eyes widened in surprise. For the third seat, it only took a mere few seconds to shut down a magic-embedded stone and to suck the magic force of an individual.
"T-That's one hell of a technique." Ryujin blurted out.
"T-That's the third seat for you," Kyouko added.
Stella slowly walked towards the limp body of Jin.
She grabbed the shattered exousia stone pieces one by one. Her palms holding the stone began glowing in dark purple. Then, the energy she leeched was slowly returned to the stone, and the cracks began healing. After a while, it was back to normal. She looked at Jin.
"Do that again, and death shall be it." She threatened with a glower, before turning to Ryujin.
"Please, contact Yukime-chan and the Council President regarding this incident. Also, please bring him to the Council Clinic."
"O-Okay. Got it."
"Kyouko-chan, please call Kyosuke-san for me. He's at the front of the hotel."
"O-Okay."
Ryujin promptly carried Jin's unconscious body towards the council office while Kyouko went out to call Ryo.
Meanwhile, Stella walked towards Ayumi. Her expression changed from a serious face to a gentle, and warm one.
"Are you okay, Atsumasa-san?"
"I-I'm okay..."
"Next time, please stand up for yourself. Do not be afraid to fight back. As long as you're in the right, I'm with you." She smiled warmly.
"Thank you very much... Uhmm... Oinamu-san."
"You can call me Stella-Senpai from now on."
"O-Oh... Really?" Ayumi's face blushed in a red hue.
"Yes. I'm very comfortable that way."
"O-Okay... S-Stella-Senpai..." Ayumi mumbled in embarrassment. Stella smiled in satisfaction. She then pats her head, reminding her of someone she used to care for.
"Please do not share what happened with Hanzo Jin, okay?"
"I-I promise...!"
"That's a good girl..."
"H-Hau..." She utters a soft moan sound, as her face slightly lit up.
"Stay with us for a few minutes. We'll settle the problem with Jin as quickly as possible."
"U-Uhm... what's going to happen to him?"
"That depends on the decision of our Judge. Regardless, I have evidence regarding his violence and manipulations towards you. Just say the truth, and all will be well."
"O-Okay... T-Thank you... very much." She sincerely and earnestly said.
The strings of bad memories slowly fell deep within her heart, soon to be forgotten, and replaced with new ones.
However, the scars it left will be difficult to heal. The traumas will be hard to forget, or even impossible.
For Ayumi, it will be a slow process. Having to live with a broken family, terrified for dear life at each hour of the day, and now, even school will be a great oppression for her.
But eventually, the time will come, when she'll be happy.
...
Kyouko walked towards the clearing of the forest, where she saw Ryo standing by, acting like a guard, and keeping off the other students.
"You're not even part of the council!" One of the students yelled out.
Ryo's patience was almost at his limit. With another push of his button, he'll definitely set these people ablaze. However, Kyouko arrived on time before he reached his limit.
"What do you people think you all are doing?" She yelled out ferociously, cold and serious. The students slowly began to back off in fear as they met her scowled expression. "Leave now. Return to your room."
Hesitant, yet afraid, the students returned to their room.
"Thanks. I almost set them all ablaze." Ryo said, followed by a sigh.
"We're glad you didn't. Good job on holding on to your patience." Kyouko replied. She lets out a heave of sigh, with the glower on her face disappearing as she does.
"On behalf of the whole council, I thank you for your cooperation. However, Stella-Senpai yet seeks an audience with you. "
"You council people like breaking your promises, don't you?"
"I don't know why, but she wants to speak to you."
Kyouko maintained a straight composure as Ryo stared at her in disbelief. Eventually, he hesitantly agreed, not without sighing once again.
They both made their way inside the forest, and waiting for them was Oinamu Stella, and Atsumasa Ayumi, talking to each other.
"Stella-Senpai..." Kyouko called out. Both of their attention shifted towards them. Stella saw Ryo's presence behind Kyouko.
"Kyosuke-san, I apologize for putting way too many tasks on your shoulders." She apologized, as she bowed her head deeply.
Ryo's face lit up in surprise, as a momentary panic erupted.
"D-Don't bow your head down..." He said...
Stella raised her head up again and looked at him in the eye.
"On behalf of the council, I thank you for your efforts. We'll carefully deliberate Hanzo Jin."
"Please do... And... Don't involve me from now on... It was all thanks to the effort of the council, I was never a part of this." He nonchalantly said.
"Oh... I see. Alright... You were never a part of this... Noted that. Nevertheless, I'm very grateful to you. Please have some rest."
"I'll do. Thank you."
...