### HOXRRARY ACADEMY: STUDENT COUNCIL ROOM
"Haha, what did you think of that, Veramount? After all, he's none other than your little brother," Alexia teased, thoroughly enjoying the look on Veramount's face.
"Now, now, Alexia, don't be like that. I overheard someone saying that his little brother would drop out naturally, but I don't think that's happening anymore," Mers chimed in, feigning sympathy while clearly savoring Veramount's discomfort.
Veramount's expression remained stoic, but a flicker of annoyance flashed in his eyes. "I see. It seems I'll need to have a talk with him," he finally replied, turning to leave. But just as he reached the door, he paused and turned back, his smile cold and sharp. "Since you both have so much free time, please finish all the paperwork on the desk. It's due by midnight."
With that, he exited the room, leaving behind a heavy silence.
Mers stared at the mountain of paperwork, his face paling. Alexia tried to count the stacks, her confidence waning.
"Yeah, I knew this would happen if we pushed him too far," Mers muttered in resignation.
"Well, it was worth it just to see his face," Alexia sighed, accepting her fate of an all-nighter.
### HOXRRARY ACADEMY: ASHURA ROOM
Ashura sat hunched over his desk, scribbling furiously as he tried to finish his report to the retired Empress Rozaria. A small, wistful smile touched his lips as he thought,* I never expected to have friends so soon. I thought I'd be alone.*
The sun had long since set by the time he finished his report. Just as he leaned back to relax, a sudden knock came at the door.
Assuming it was Edmond, he called out with a teasing tone, "What do you want, Edmond? Can't you see I'm trying to rest?"
But the door creaked open, revealing not Edmond but someone far more unexpected.
"Brother?!" Ashura gasped, his exhaustion giving way to shock.
Veramount stood in the doorway, his face as emotionless as ever. "So, you've already made friends. That's a surprise," he said, his voice flat but with an undertone of curiosity.
"How did you even know where my room is?" Ashura stammered, desperate to shift the conversation.
"I'm on the student council, of course. I know where all the rooms are," Veramount replied, looking at his brother as if he were an idiot.
"Oh, right... I forgot about that," Ashura said hastily, a nervous laugh escaping him. He could feel the tension in the room growing thicker, the presence of his brother unnerving him.
Veramount didn't bother waiting for an invitation. He walked over and sat down on Ashura's bed, making himself comfortable.
Ashura stared in disbelief. *Does this guy have no sense of boundaries? I didn't even say he could sit, and yet here he is, acting like he owns the place! *he thought, though he kept a polite smile plastered on his face, not daring to voice his irritation.
"The reason I'm here is to talk about your duel in the exercise class," Veramount began, his gaze piercing as if he were assessing Ashura's every reaction.
Ashura swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "I-Is that so? I didn't think it was that big of a deal..."
"No big deal?" Veramount's voice was cold as he stared down at Ashura. "The whole academy's buzzing about how you entered Combat Sense completely unaware. For me, that's a very big deal."
Ashura's polite facade cracked, his voice turning sharp. "I don't think you need to concern yourself with that, brother. Since when did you ever care about anything that involved me?"
Veramount's eyes narrowed, displeasure evident in his gaze. "Let's just say that many have high expectations of you after hearing about your so-called achievement. But what do you think will happen if you can't handle Combat Sense?" He leaned in closer, his voice low and threatening. "The Kanon family will once again be the subject of ridicule because of your recklessness. So stop whatever foolishness you're doing. You know as well as I do that your so-called talent is nothing but a fluke."
With that, Veramount stood up, turning as if to leave. The air in the room felt heavy, suffocating under the weight of his disdain.
There was a long, tense silence before Ashura finally spoke, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Brother, you never change, do you?" He lifted his gaze, eyes blazing with defiance. "Like I told you before, my actions are my own. They're not up to you or anyone else. If you think I'll just cower and back down because of your threats... you're sorely mistaken."
Veramount paused at the door, glancing back with a cold, unreadable expression. But Ashura held his ground, his glare unwavering.
For a moment, it seemed as though Veramount might say something more, but instead, he simply turned on his heel and left the room, the door clicking shut behind him. The silence that followed was deafening, leaving Ashura alone with the echoes of their confrontation.
"sigh...I almost thought he goona kill me earlier " say Ashura as he fall seat as his chair tiredly. Continue "I guess Its time already" Ashura spoke as prepared himself to began his work to spy.
### HOXRRARY ACADEMY: FIRST GARDEN
The moonlight bathed the garden in a serene glow as the Chairman walked leisurely through the rows of flowers, his gaze lingering on their delicate petals. He seemed to be waiting for someone, taking his time as he savored the peaceful night.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
The soft sound of footsteps echoed through the stillness, drawing the Chairman's attention. His lips curved into a warm smile when he saw the figure approaching.
"Oh, my. You've arrived already?" the Chairman remarked with a gentle chuckle. "It's fine, you know. You don't need to rush."
Veramount smiled back, his voice as warm as the night air. "How could I make you wait, Chairman?" He glanced down at the flowers the Chairman had been admiring, his expression thoughtful.
The Chairman chuckled again, his hand reaching up to gently ruffle Veramount's hair. "You're too upright, you know. It's fine to take things easy sometimes," he said fondly.
Ashura, hidden in the shadows, couldn't help but feel a sudden, sharp pang of surprise. *Oh, damn… this is unexpected! Someone's actually petting Veramount's hair?* he thought, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of what he was witnessing.
"Now, let's go. I've prepared some tea for our conversation," the Chairman continued, gesturing toward a table set at the center of the garden. Veramount followed him obediently, sitting down across from him.
As they both sipped their tea, the Chairman spoke first, his voice smooth and measured. "Thanks to your help, almost everything is prepared."
Veramount's warm smile never wavered. "It's nothing, really. After all, it will benefit both of us, so of course, I did my best." His voice was calm and sincere.
The Chairman laughed softly, clearly pleased. "I truly made a good decision in choosing you…" He picked up his tea again, taking a sip before continuing. "And your two juniors will help you as well."
Veramount nodded, waiting patiently for the Chairman to continue.
"We'll put everything into motion when the Great Festival of Hestia begins," the Chairman said, his tone calm but laced with anticipation.
Ashura, still concealed in the shadows, clenched his fists in frustration. *Begins what? Why does it have to be at the Great Festival of Hestia? And what exactly is my brother helping with? Damn it, I have so little information!*
His thoughts whirled as he watched the two of them, trying to piece together the puzzle from the fragments he had overheard.
"Well then, since everything is done, I'll take my leave first," said Veramount, bowing slightly to the Chairman as he stood to leave.
The Chairman nodded with a warm smile. "Take care, Veramount. That child truly needs to learn to take it easy sometimes."
As Veramount began to walk away, the Chairman rose from his seat and stretched, preparing to leave the garden as well. Ashura, despite his frustration, followed at a careful distance, making sure to stay hidden.
### HOXRRARY ACADEMY: UNDERGROUND TUNNEL
The Chairman walked through the long, dimly lit tunnel, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls. Ashura kept close behind, his heart pounding in his chest. He had to learn more. His brother's involvement in whatever this was could mean something far more dangerous than he had first anticipated.
The Chairman suddenly stopped beside a torch flickering in the darkness. Ashura paused just behind the corner, trying to make himself as small as possible.
Without a word, the Chairman turned to the wall beside him. His hand moved in a swift motion as he began to chant in a low, measured voice. "Veil of Stone, Open Wide!"
The stone wall trembled before it cracked open with a soft rumble, revealing a darkened corridor beyond. The Chairman stepped forward without hesitation, and Ashura, now more determined than ever, stepped in after him, careful to remain unseen.
The darkness of the new space swallowed them whole as Ashura followed the Chairman through the passage. His eyes strained to see, but there was nothing but the thick blackness. His mind raced, wondering just what lay ahead in this hidden part of the academy.
"What is this place?" Ashura muttered under his breath, his voice barely a whisper as he strained his ears, trying to catch any sound that might give him a clue.
The Chairman, oblivious to Ashura's presence, continued walking, his steps sure and steady as if he had been here a thousand times before.
"Where are we going?" Ashura thought, clenching his fists in the dark. *I need to know what this is about. What are they hiding down here?*
They walked deeper into the abyss, the chill in the air thickening, as the only sound was the distant echo of their footsteps. Ashura's stomach churned. Something was off. And as he ventured further, the feeling of unease grew stronger.