William had a sour expression on his face. Not because of Emma—but because of the boy sitting beside her.
He had been promised that if he defeated Kevin, he wouldn't have to deal with that guy in class anymore.
But here Kevin was again.
And who was behind this? Of course—the headmaster.
William and Kevin had been called to his office before classes started today. There, the headmaster told them that removing Kevin from the first class would ruin his chances of joining the squad for the Honor Goblet.
So, the old man decided not to exclude him.
'And people say he only favors noble kids,' William scoffed, his blond hair catching the light as his eyes stayed on the book in front of him.
"Hey."
William looked up and saw a blue-haired boy standing there with a friendly smile. He had soft features and round, droopy eyes—if not for the uniform, anyone could've mistaken him for a girl.
"You're the new addition to the class, right?" the boy asked, taking the seat beside William.
William frowned. "I'd rather sit alone."
The boy chuckled. "This is actually my seat. So, if you don't mind, let's share it?"
William sighed and shrugged, returning his attention to the book.
The boy didn't seem bothered by being ignored. "I'm Loid, by the way. You're William Delimore, right?"
William gave a small nod, still silent.
Loid leaned slightly closer. "Is it true that you defeated a Council member yesterday?"
William raised a brow. "You didn't see it yourself?"
Loid smiled sheepishly. "By the time you knocked Kevin out, I was already in my own spar. And not long after…it didn't end well for me."
William glanced at him, curious. "Then how are you still in this class?"
Losing a match to someone from a lower section usually meant losing your seat.
Loid chuckled. "I have certain privileges. I can only be challenged by someone from the same class. That's why I still have my spot."
William smirked. "Another privileged child, huh? What, got a reputation around here?"
Loid pressed his lips together and looked away before replying, "Something like that. I don't care much about titles, but my family expects me to stay at the top."
William tilted his head. "You're from a noble family?"
He could tell from Loid's posture and speech that he wasn't ordinary, but he couldn't guess which family he belonged to.
Loid seemed genuinely surprised. "You don't know me? I guess that's expected from the wild scion of the Delimore family."
William gave a dry smile.
Before Loid could say anything else, the classroom door opened—and a woman walked in.
Long black hair flowed down to her waist, framing a pair of dark violet eyes.
The pants she wore highlighted her curves, and the two loose buttons on her shirt added a touch of daring charm to her appearance.
William recognized her instantly. She was well-known for her wild nature and fearsome reputation.
One of the strongest professors in the academy—just below the vice-headmaster—and a decorated six-star warrior.
Beautiful, dangerous, and commanding.
She stepped up to the podium and scanned the students.
"I see a new face," she began, her voice sharp yet smooth. "Only one student managed to earn a place here? How disappointing that only one student had shown the results of his hardship."
The woman, known to everyone as Professor Morika, rested a hand on her hip. "Why don't you stand up and introduce yourself? Tell us a bit about your skills and hobbies."
William sighed. 'Third year, and I'm still introducing myself. Great.'
He rose to his feet. "Delimore William. I like cooking. As for my skills—you all must've seen them yesterday."
With that, he sat back down.
Morika tilted her head, humming softly. "Is there anyone here who's dissatisfied with the new addition? As always, you're free to voice your opinions about any changes in this class."
William gave a dry smile. 'Her way of sparking conflict, huh?'
A few moments passed in silence before someone raised a hand.
Pink bowl-cut hair. Thin build.
William recognized him immediately.
The prodigy of the Ironclad Clan. The disciple of the Sword Saint.
And the one who had once defeated him—not through sorcery, but pure, honest combat.
William could forget many things, but never the face of someone who had beaten him through sheer skill.
And this guy—Caleb—had once defeated William through his admirable technique and skill.
"Caleb?" Professor Morika called.
The pink-haired boy turned toward William, his expression calm but a little stiff. "I want to ask you something."
William didn't respond, waiting.
Caleb continued, "Have you been hiding your strength all this time? And if you were, then why? Why show it now?"
The question wasn't his alone—it was in everyone's mind after yesterday's fight.
Some might've thought William had only won because Kevin was injured. But the second battle told a different story.
Anyone who had seen it knew it wasn't luck.
His fight against Gizel lasted only a few minutes, but in those minutes, William proved he could fight—and dominate.
His movements were sharp and precise, his expression steady. Not once did he seem threatened by the Council member.
In the end, he completely overpowered his opponent. The victory was clean, decisive.
So yes, the question burned in everyone's minds—how did someone once at the bottom suddenly crush one of the best?
William took a moment before answering. "Pretending to be weak… that's something a pervert would do who enjoys pain. I'm not that kind of guy." He leaned back slightly, his tone calm. "It's just that… someone helped remove a burden that had been crushing me for a long time."
He wasn't lying. But telling the full truth would only cause more problems, so he left it at that.
Caleb tilted his head. "And who might this person be? The one who freed you from that burden?"
William's gaze shifted—from Caleb to a certain silver-haired girl across the room.
She was smiling at him.
He shook his head, a faint smile on his lips as he muttered under his breath, "A crazy girl."