Arthur swung open the classroom door without knocking, strolling inside like he owned the place. Well, he did own it, technically. The entire academy was under his domain, and his confident, almost arrogant demeanor made it clear that he knew it. As the door creaked open, every conversation in the room ground to an abrupt halt, as though someone had flicked a switch. The murmur of voices was extinguished, replaced by an uneasy silence.
Students, who had been slouching or chatting, instantly straightened up. The air shifted, thickening with tension. Eyes widened and heads snapped toward the door, all attention now fixated on the man who had just entered. There was no mistaking him Principal Arthur. His presence alone was enough to command the room, and it did. Instinctively, as if trying to impress a predator, the students sat up straighter, eyes alert and focused.
Professor Kevin, who had been giving a lecture at the front of the class, froze mid-sentence. He blinked a few times, clearly thrown off by Arthur's sudden arrival. The man rarely made appearances in classrooms, especially at such odd times. "P-Principal Arthur?" Kevin stammered, his voice tinged with surprise. "What brings you here?"
Arthur casually walked in, completely unbothered by the professor's shock. He slung an arm around Kevin's shoulders like they were old friends. "Relax, Kevin. I'm just here to drop off a new student," he said with a grin, his voice dripping with nonchalance.
Kevin blinked again, more confused than before. "A new student? Now? At this time of year?" It was practically unheard of. Students who didn't make the academy's admission cutoff were usually forced to wait until the next year, no exceptions. Arthur bending the rules? That was a first.
Arthur, still grinning like he was in on some grand joke, waved a hand toward the door. "Yeah, yeah, I know it's late. But trust me, this one's special. Come on in, Lucian!"
Outside the door, Lucian took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He wasn't nervous about being in the academy he was nervous about the situation. This was all too much, too soon. He never liked standing out, and now he was being paraded into a classroom like some kind of VIP. He stepped inside, feeling the atmosphere change instantly.
The room, which had been tense before, now felt like it had its own heartbeat. All eyes turned toward him, curious, judging. The weight of their stares was almost suffocating. The air was thick, warm, and heavy, making it feel like the walls were closing in on him.
Lucian tried to keep his expression neutral, but his body betrayed him with a subtle stiffening. He hated this being the center of attention. His whole life had been about blending in, about avoiding the spotlight. And now here he was, being paraded in front of everyone.
"Who is that?" one student whispered to another.
"I don't know. He's not from any famous family, that's for sure."
"Did you see his eyes?" a girl whispered excitedly to her friend. "That ash color... I've never seen anything like it. So rare."
Another girl leaned in, giggling quietly. "Yeah, and he's kinda cute, don't you think?"
Lucian felt his ears burning, the whispers reaching him even though they were meant to be quiet. He could feel the scrutinizing eyes of the entire class, studying his every move, his every detail. His fists clenched, his face tightening in an attempt to keep calm. He had expected a low-profile entrance, and here he was, being dissected by the entire class.
Arthur, still standing next to Kevin, coughed theatrically to get everyone's attention again. "Alright, listen up!" he called out, his voice breaking through the whispers like a hammer. "Meet your new classmate, Lucian! He's gonna be with you all from today onward. Now, let me tell you something about him..." Arthur's grin widened, and Lucian immediately felt a sense of dread creeping up his spine. Whatever Arthur was about to say, he knew it wouldn't end well.
"He might look a bit rough around the edges," Arthur continued, "and yeah, maybe he's a little depressed, rude, and has a bit of a bad mouth... but don't let that fool you! This kid's got a mind sharper than any blade. You think you're tough? Hah, you're not even close to his level in determination. Just don't try to piss him off, alright?"
Lucian's face twitched. Depressed? Rude? Bad mouth? What was Arthur even talking about? He wanted to sink into the ground right there. His hands curled into fists, nails digging into his palms. He was this close to turning around and walking out, but no he couldn't. This was his moment, as humiliating as it was, and he would endure it.
Arthur, apparently not satisfied with the embarrassment he had already caused, kept going. "Oh, and he's starting from scratch with magic, so no bullying! That said, don't get on his bad side. Trust me, you don't want to make enemies with him." He winked, like this was some kind of inside joke.
The class broke into soft chuckles, though some just stared at Lucian with puzzled expressions, wondering who this "special" kid was supposed to be. They didn't know whether to take Arthur seriously or not.
Kevin, who had been standing awkwardly beside Arthur this whole time, finally spoke up. "Uh, thank you, Principal Arthur," he said with a strained smile. "I think that's more than enough. Why don't we let Lucian introduce himself?"
Arthur grinned and waved Lucian over. "Go on, kid. Say something to your new friends."
Lucian froze. His eyes darted around the room. What the hell am I supposed to say? He hadn't prepared any kind of introduction. No one told him about this part.
He turned toward Arthur, shooting him a murderous glare. Arthur, of course, just smirked, as if he found Lucian's discomfort endlessly amusing. He waved Lucian over to the front of the class again, ignoring the death stare.
Lucian's heart pounded. His palms were sweaty as he walked to the front of the class, each step feeling heavier than the last. The silence was crushing, every second feeling like an eternity.
Just as he reached the podium, a familiar sound rang in his head.
Ding!
[New Mission: Make an unforgettable introduction that will leave a lasting impression!]
[Mission Reward: ???]
[Mission Penalty: You'll have to... kiss Arthur!]
Lucian almost choked on his own breath. Kiss Arthur? What kind of penalty was that? A kiss from the guy who had just publicly humiliated him? Absolutely not....no no no what am i thinking ...nahh never kissing a guy no matter who he is There was no way he was going to fail this. He had to make this introduction count.
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hey guys i am happy if you are reading this chapter...we have come quite a long journey haven't we..haha
well i wanna thank people who are helping me supporting me... bleive me it matter too much for me...i didn't mean that imm after ranking or stuff not now
i am just genuinely happy that you guys appreciate my work nothing makes me more happy when i can see look people are really appreciating me....might be small thing for other authors idk but i can say its a very big thing for me... thanks you everyone to be hear if you are reading this...and i mean it...thanks for reading
LazyDiablo