Episode 21 – The Man in the Suit
The door creaked open.
Standing there was Shage Yeager—not a towering figure of muscle or power, but a man who radiated something far sharper. He wore a perfectly fitted charcoal tukken suit, the collar neat, the cuffs crisp, and a polished pair of shoes that clicked softly against the floor. A thin pair of square glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, catching the dim dorm light, obscuring his eyes for a moment.
"Clover," he said simply, his tone low, strict, and measured.
Clover blinked. "…Uncle Shage?"
Shage stepped inside with the composure of a chess master entering a board he already knew the ending to. He closed the door gently behind him, placing one hand in his pocket, the other adjusting his glasses.
"You've grown," Shage said flatly, his gaze sweeping Clover up and down, as if assessing every flaw, every strength, every possibility at once. "Though your posture… still careless.
Clover shifted, scratching the back of his neck. "I, uh… wasn't expecting you.
Shage's lips curved—just slightly—into something between a smirk and a sigh. "Of course not. You never expect what matters." He walked further into the dorm, his shoes clicking with precision. "Your mother worries. Clara too. But me? I worry about something else…"
Clover tilted his head. "Something else?"
Shage turned to face him fully now, the lenses of his glasses glinting faintly. "The halls. This school. And the way eyes are already on you." His voice was calm, but underneath it lay an edge of steel. "Tell me, Clover—have you noticed them yet? The ones watching?
Clover's pulse skipped, Aurora flickering faintly in his mind. The words hung heavy, the air in the room tightening.
For the first time since arriving at Vanguard Hall, Clover felt as though someone had looked through him—beyond the victory, beyond the bluster—straight into the uncertain heartbeat beneath.
Shage didn't smile. He simply adjusted his glasses again and said quietly:
"Good. Then we can begin." .
Shage set his briefcase neatly on Clover's desk, then sat down without asking. He poured himself a glass of water from Clover's jug, sipping like he owned the place.
"You've been making noise already," he said flatly, eyes on Clover. "Beating students, drawing attention. That's reckless.
Clover leaned back in his chair, frowning. "You came all the way here just to scold me?
Shage's lips twitched into something between a smirk and a sigh. "Scold you? No. I came to remind you—this academy isn't about glory. It's about survival. You think you're ready… but you're not."
He stood, adjusted his suit, and looked at Clover over his glasses. "Stay sharp. Eyes open. Because the halls don't forgive mistakes."
Without another word, he left the room, leaving Clover staring after him in silence.
Aurora whispered faintly: Your uncle's hiding something…
Clover sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the faint silver glow seeping from Aetherfang where it rested against the wall. Aurora hovered beside him, her form faint but sharp-eyed.
"You felt it too, didn't you?" she whispered.
Clover clenched his fists. "That guy… Jax. Ty. Even the way this school works. It's like everyone's testing me, waiting for me to fail. Aurora's tone softened. "And that anger you're carrying—Aetherfang responds to it. Look."
The blade pulsed brighter, silver-blue light dancing across the room. Clover's jaw tightened, eyes reflecting the glow.
"If I lose control…" he muttered. "This sword could drag me into something worse.
Aurora leaned closer, her voice urgent now. "That's why you must learn balance. Anger sharpens your edge… but it can also cut too deep."
Clover exhaled slowly, unclenching his hands. The glow dimmed, steady but alive.
Then I'll master it, he said quietly. "No matter what it takes."
The morning sun was already high when Clover cracked open one eye, groaning. "Five more minutes…" he mumbled, burying his face deeper into the pillow.
A sudden fwoosh lit up the room. Aurora's glowing figure popped out of Aetherfang, floating above his bed with her hands on her hips. "Five more minutes? Yeager, class started twenty minutes ago!
Clover rolled over. "Then let it finish without me.
Aurora's eyes narrowed. "Don't test me." She zoomed forward, yanking his blanket off and smacking him lightly on the forehead with a glowing wisp. Bonk!
"Hey! Abuse!" Clover sat up, hair sticking out in every direction.
"You'll thank me later," Aurora said smugly. "Now move it before Talon finds you and turns you into a science project.
Grumbling, Clover staggered toward the bathroom. The sound of running water followed, along with Aurora's relentless commentary.
"You missed a spot brushing."
"I know, stop hovering!"
"Your hair looks like a bird's nest."
"It's supposed to, it's the style!"
"No, that's just sad.
Clover nearly slipped on the wet tiles, catching himself on the sink. "Great. First week here and my sword spirit's already bullying me."
Aurora folded her arms, smirking. "Correction: I'm saving you from humiliation. By the time Clover rushed out of the dorm, uniform half-buttoned and hair barely tamed, Aurora whispered, "You're welcome," before slipping back into Aetherfang with a mischievous glow.
Clover sighed. "This school's gonna kill me…
The sun poured through the tall windows of the Hemsworth mansion, catching the polished marble floors and high ceilings. Elizabeth Hemsworth yawned as she descended the sweeping staircase, uniform neat but slightly wrinkled from last night's rush.
"Good morning, girls," Mayor Hemsworth's deep voice echoed from the study, where he was reviewing papers. At 6'3", he towered naturally over the polished desk, adjusting his cufflinks. His presence was commanding, but softened slightly by the golden retriever at his side.
"Morning, Dad," Elizabeth replied, sliding a hand over Dog's sleek black fur. Dog's amber eyes met hers, tail wagging in silent approval.
"Are you sure about Vanguard Hall today?" the mayor asked, a faint edge of worry in his tone. "You've only been there one day, and it's… different from Obsidian."
Elizabeth smiled reassuringly. "It's fine, Dad. Second day, same rules—just trying to keep up.
From the hallway, Liana appeared, shadowed in her sleek black uniform. She moved silently, always reserved, eyes watching everything but revealing nothing. "I'll be fine," she murmured, voice quiet but firm, a subtle challenge hidden beneath her calm. Unlike Elizabeth, Liana thrived in Obsidian Hall's intensity.
The mayor nodded slowly. "Remember, you two are only staying with me temporarily. Your mom's place is still home." He gave a faint, tight smile, brushing a hand over his hair before turning back to his papers. "Be safe. And keep Dog out of trouble. Dog padded beside Liana obediently, ears perked, sensing her tension. Despite his calm demeanor, he seemed ready for action at any moment toward the car.
Liana nodded briefly,
The mayor watched them leave, Dog following closely. Elizabeth slid into the passenger seat, glancing out the window at the mansion shrinking behind them. Today, Vanguard Hall awaited—new rules, new faces, and the start of a path that would test her courage in ways Obsidian never had.
The sleek black car purred to a stop outside Vanguard Hall. Elizabeth stepped out, adjusting her uniform and squinting against the morning sun. Liana followed silently, her dark eyes scanning the bustling crowd of students as if measuring every move before taking it all in.
"Dad, are you sure we can't just—" Elizabeth began, but her words were cut short by the low rumble of the engine fading behind them.
Mayor Hemsworth, towering at 6'3", gave a polite smile but left the two girls to their own devices. "Second day, Liz. Just… keep your eyes open," he said, opening the car door. Their dog, Regal, sat alert beside him, tail stiff, amber eyes sharp.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, Dad."
Liana didn't say a word, slipping past the gates with the quiet confidence of someone who already knew how this world worked.
Elizabeth's eyes swept over the crowd, noticing new faces everywhere, laughter and chatter mingling with the clatter of shoes on the stone courtyard. And then she saw him.
Leaning casually against a polished black motorcycle parked near the entrance, a tall young man with jet-black hair and piercing gray eyes surveyed the courtyard like he owned it. His posture was relaxed, but every inch of him radiated control—magnetic, unyielding, impossible to ignore.
Elizabeth blinked. "Who… is that?"
Liana, almost too calmly, glanced at him and let a tiny smirk slip. "Austin Tesla. Friend of mine. Obsidian Hall."
Elizabeth turned, mouth slightly open. "Friend? He… looks like he could snap someone in half for fun. From the corner of his eye, Austin's gaze flicked toward the girls. One slow step forward, a faint curve of a smirk on his lips, and then—just like that—he disappeared into the crowd, leaving only the echo of his presence behind.
Elizabeth's pulse quickened. "Okay… that is definitely not normal."
A sudden flicker of sun caught the edge of something metallic on his wrist—a gauntlet glinting in the morning light, just enough to make Elizabeth's curiosity spike and her stomach twist with anticipation.
Somewhere in the courtyard, Regal growled softly, low and warning, as if he had already sensed the storm heading their way.
And then, the laughter of students continued—completely unaware that the son of the richest man in the world, Austin Tesla, had just walked past them, and he was not someone you wanted to cross.
Elizabeth's second day at Vanguard Hall just got a lot more complicated.
Somewhere in the courtyard, Regal growled softly, low and warning, as if he had already sensed the storm heading their way.
Elizabeth blinked at him. "Great… and the dog already likes him more than me.
Elizabeth glanced at her phone, her jaw tightening. "Austin Tesla… heir to the Tesla fortune?