During third period, we sit down; I open my textbook and notice Roulette frantically searching through her belongings as she empties her backpack.
She slowly turns to me with a strained smile. "Lovely weather we're having today, Saint; isn't it? On an unrelated note, do you happen to have an extra textbook? I may or may not have left mine in my dorm."
Luckily, today, I do; but I know Roulette would never give me one for free. I think it's finally time to give her a taste of her own medicine.
I put out my hand as if expecting to get paid.
Roulette manages to get the message. "Anything but that!" She looks as though she is in physical pain attempting to hand over the coin but falters, unable to surrender the money. "I can't bring myself to do it! So, if you don't give me yours, I'll sit on your lap and read from yours! So... yeah! You better give it to me!"
I raise my eyebrow. "Yea... that would really suck to have the touch of female?"
Realizing she would somehow make something as sensual as that, annoying, I toss the textbook onto her desk. "Just give it back by the end of class. I still need it."
She turns to me with her usual grin. "You're a saint in Saint's clothing!"
Silho steps up and teaches us something about the Hollisks.
I'm not paying attention as there seems to be a disturbance on the right side of the room.
"It was you, Beksiński! You stole my textbook!"
I turn to see a pink-haired boy with a mask being yelled at. He has his hair up in a bun and a tank top. A mask covers his mouth and seems to convey his emotions. As he panics, a scared emoji illuminates the mask.
Beksiński? I feel as though I've heard that name. Maybe he was an artist or a sculptor?
"What?! I... I didn't steal it!?" Beksiński now looks confused and scared.
The accuser, a boy named Yenn, points at him. "I bet you lost yours, and you didn't want to spend the money, so you just stole mine!"
"I really didn't, I swear! I can help you look for it, but you don't need to point fingers." He turns to the class for help. "Does anyone have an object detection skill?"
But his plan blows up in his face.
"As if we would believe you! Just give Yenn his book back!"
Of course, he is accused; people fear the unknown, and what's more unknown than a social outcast? He has an accent and rarely talks with others. Instead, he spends his time daydreaming or drawing.
Beksiński looks like he genuinely cares about the whereabouts of this guy's textbook. "Well, where was the last place you saw it?" Beksiński questions.
"That's it! I won't have any more of your excuses!" Yenn pulls out a challenge form and slams it on Beksiński's desk. "I challenge you to a duel! A textbook costs five gold, so how about the winner receives five gold from the loser!"
"But I really didn't take it!"
"I would prefer if you all didn't disturb my lesson," Silho states, visibly annoyed.
"I apologize, professor, but I cannot allow such a wicked act to come to pass."
Silho seems unamused. As if he knows the reality of the situation he turns to me, then turns back to Yenn. "I see; how very noble of you, Yenn."
Silho suddenly has an idea as he changes his tune."Alright, fine. While one challenge has already occurred, this is a good opportunity to see a challenge firsthand."
The class becomes frantic with excitement.
"What?! A challenge already happened?"
"Yea! I heard Kunnia challenged Saint."
I turn to Kunnia, who seems to flinch at the mention of our duel. The two classmates continue talking about our duel.
"Pfft! What an idiot."
"For real. Kunnia would obviously beat him by a landslide."
Kunnia is sitting there, bright red as she blushes.
"That would explain why Saint looked so unhappy today."
"I don't know, dude. That guy always looks unhappy."
Silho steps up with his somehow commandingly calm voice. "Alright, everyone, shut up! Beksiński and Yenn, I'm willing to cover the cost of the challenge if you are willing to let the class watch."
Yenn points to Beksiński, who now looks like a child being bullied on the playground. "Hehe. You hear that, Beksiński? Now everyone knows that you're a dirty thief!"
An impressive situation Yenn put Beksiński in. Even if they aren't the thief, he would have to accept the challenge. The only way out of this and to keep a clean reputation would be to win it and turn down the money.
It seems as though Beksiński knows this, too. "I really don't want to fight you, so... I apologize and accept!"
"Alright, everyone! Out to the field! Today's lesson is combat. Watch them and take notes. I want a three-page analysis of the fight and how you would have done it differently." Silho commands everyone.
The class collectively groans at the thought of homework, yet rushes out to the field in excitement.
"Man, I can't wait to watch this!"
"This fight is gonna be sick."
"I should challenge someone. As long as you are stronger than them, it's free money!"
"For real, you can make anyone do anything!"
Silho pulls Beksiński aside. I can only make out parts of what he said. "Make... it... bloody."
Beksiński recoils due to this statement but nods his head.