After leaving her office, I went straight to my dorm and got some rest. Jonah was very excited to learn that I'll be joining him and the others in class A again, after a whole month of my disappearance. It really felt like I wasn't even a part of them to begin with, considering I've only had a class with them for not even a day. And yet, I separated for a whole month from them.
At least from now on, things will finally speed up.
"N-Nathan!?!" Lily shouted the moment I appeared on the class A door, and everyone else turned their eyes at me.
"Hey, everyone! Long time no see!" I said cheerfully to my real classmates, and everyone just smiled seeing me.
After greeting the whole class, I walked straight to where I previously sat, right behind Lily. Lily got up and looked like she wanted to cry from seeing me, and I just chuckled.
"Hey, I didn't leave for that long…" I said apologetically, and Lily is really tearing up.
"It's just not fair for you… I just feel really bad." Lily said with such a sad tone, and I think everyone can tell what her behavior means.
"I missed you too, Lily! Don't worry. I'll be here from now on." I said while opening my arms, expecting her to hug me or something. She looked like she wanted to cry, so I thought maybe she needed a hug.
BAKK!!!!
"Ghaaahkk---!!!!"
Instead… she punched me in the stomach.
"It's nice seeing you too!" She immediately formed a devious smile, and everyone felt sorry for me.
And here I thought I got the right signal…
"Nice try, Nathan~…" From her seat, Nyssa shouted at me. I just lifted my thumb at her.
The pain in my stomach is something… but the pain in my chest is not going away any time soon.
"L-Lily… don't just punch someone after he just returned." Jonah tries carefully to stop Lily, but looks like the princess is a little too pissed.
Lily ended up just sitting back down at her chair in silence, and I was left to crawl to my seat. Jonah ended up helping me while the whole class just clapped at me.
I know, I know… I got kicked out of the class for a month, and I came back to see a girl cry. Then, I got punched in the gut by her??
Royal girls are just a different breed, huh?
"Well… I'm glad you're back." Lily mumbled without turning around at me, and I just smiled softly upon hearing her.
"You owe me a plate of fried chicken for lunch later." I said with a cold smile, and Lily finally turned around angrily.
"I'm not obligated to buy you anything!!"
Jonah tried his best to stop us from fighting, while Nyssa is just enjoying her sandwich breakfast while enjoying the movie. From behind, Eric approached and noticed the quarreling, and he immediately returned to his seat because he knew.
Once the quarreling starts, it's not so easy to barge in. Once it ends, though, he can approach me slowly.
"Huh? Your hair turned white?" I asked out of confusion to Eric's words, and he nodded while pointing at his ears.
"The part above my ears. They turned white."
"That's so neat… how come mine is at the front bangs?"
"Maybe because you're an attention seeker?"
Why is everyone out to make me pissed, today?
Eric came up to me right after the first lesson ended. Usually there's about a minute or two until the teacher for the next lesson comes, so he used this chance to chat with me.
"Your signs appeared really quick, huh? It's only been a day since you started practicing." I pointed out, and it was surprising because it was quite fast.
"How long was it until the change appeared for you?"
"For me? About a week-ish. I didn't have the diligence to shoot the fireball out for hours continuously. I will still take a rest during the first week." I explained what's different between us, and Eric immediately turned angry at me.
"And here I was wondering why the training was so difficult…" He said coldly, and I had to defend myself.
"Hey! At least you got your results pretty early! You may even master the limit break without even needing a month like me!"
"Bastard."
Eric then turned around and left me really annoyed, and I just folded my arms.
"Ungrateful guy… I taught him the best way, and all he did was complain." I mumbled by myself, but Jonah next to me heard it.
"What were you two talking about, anyway?" Jonah asked out of curiosity, and I only grinned at him.
"It's something I will show everyone during training class later!"
Hearing such words, Jonah immediately turned excited. The time has come for the secret to be spilled, and he has been preparing himself quite well for this day.
And now, the training class.
"Hello, everyone! It has been a while!" Entering from the door, the vice headmaster of the academy is now entering the training building.
Seeing her appearing once again for the training class, everyone in class A had a horrible sense of dejavu. One person in particular doesn't really like seeing her.
"What's she doing here?" Reju muttered while staring at the vice headmaster walking towards us, and I just giggled before patting his shoulder.
"Well, you'll see." I said before stepping away to the back, and the vice headmaster quickly told everyone to line up.
As everyone lined up, they noticed that one classmate in particular is currently missing. But, the vice headmaster did not mind that at all and continued the class.
"It's been so long, everyone! Though, I do regret that we parted ways on such a strange note… but, I hope we can rebuild this relationship between us better than before!" Miss Hilda said to the members of class A in front of her, and one student only snorted loudly.
"Hmph! You think we're going to listen to someone who ran away after harassing her students!?" The crown prince of Fiordall himself spoke aloud to make the vice headmaster remember.
Reju has been officially appointed as the class president. His handsome and charismatic personality has won everyone's heart, and no one had problems choosing him as the class president since he was a natural born leader.
And as the class president, he spoke for everyone when he cussed the vice headmaster.
"Don't forget the things you've done. They are in no way forgivable!" Reju angrily stated, and everyone in the class seemed to agree.
Seeing the coup towards her, the vice headmaster only laughs cutely. "Ahaha! I see that my past actions have truly angered you all! In that case, it seems like I have a lot of explaining to do.
In that case, let me ask you all a question. When you see a bird trying to swim in water, what will you do?" Miss Hilda threw such a random question to the students, and everyone looked confused.
"Of course you will try to save it, right?" She answered the question herself, and everyone only stayed silent. "Because if you think about it, birds aren't supposed to swim like a fish. And yet, there's the bird, swimming in the pool! Why do you think the bird is swimming in the pool? Class president, Rejulus Fiordall. Mind answering this question?"
This time, Miss Hilda pointed at Reju, and the crown prince had trouble answering. After a while, he decided to just play along with the vice headmaster for now.
"Because it fell?"
"Indeed! The poor bird has fallen to the pond, and it is trying its best to swim so that it wouldn't drown. Now, how do you think this representation fits the situation that you saw last week?" Miss Hilda finally asked, and no one seemed to be able to answer.
"Because she was trying to save me."
My voice was heard from the right, and everyone turned to find me standing quite far away from them.
As soon as their eyes landed on me, they all noticed the difference that has appeared on my body. Specifically, my hair that is now colored red at the front bangs, and my eyes that are now genuinely shining red. Nothing else seemed to be different about me other than the two, but that's only because I haven't done anything yet.
Another thing that they noticed was the large titanium wall placed right next to me. The wall is pretty much the same as the previous wall that I demolished. It's five times thicker than the one used at the exam, and it's also three times wider.
Seeing the wall, everyone realized that this is orchestrated, but they do not know the purpose of it. Meanwhile, one person looks more happy than everybody else.
"That show off…" Eric mumbled on his own, and the class kept on rolling.
"Now, then! Everyone, please keep an eye on your friend Nathan!" The vice headmaster then pointed her hand at me, and I just smirked seeing Miss Hilda giving me the stage.
"That's right. Because for today's training class, Miss Hilda is just here as a spectator." I said to everyone, which turned them heavily confused. I feel bad for keeping everything a secret from them, but this needs to happen.
It is the next step of my plan to take over the academy.
"Your true teacher… will be me!"