The people in Belmore were shocked and scared. I mean it seemed unnatural for something like this to happen, It happened but it was rare.
Drake and his twin sister acted as though they knew both of the matter.
Athena knew aswell but still kept it lowkey
The academy was definitely scared, but they were dumb to understanding the views of a man who died twice.
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Drake sat lazily in the common area of the dorm, flipping through a scroll he had procured earlier. His eyes, the slitted crimson pupils, glinted with amusement as he read the report of the previous night's chaos.
Despite the massacre in Hermia, the Divine World Academy seemed oddly calm. The headmaster, Precious Domatias, didn't even flinch when her attendants brought her the morning papers detailing the Crimson Flowers' rampage. "Not my students involved," she muttered, sipping her tea. "Let them have fun. I don't care."
Drake smirked at the thought of the old woman, indifferent as ever. Perhaps she simply understood that the real chaos came from those bold enough to act, not those who hid behind rules.
It was then that a sharp voice cut through the hall.
"I know it was you."
Drake glanced up, letting the corners of his lips curl into a predatory smile. "Hah. Are you crazy?"
The girl didn't flinch. Her stride was confident, deliberate, and unnerving. Drake could feel the tension radiating off her. She was small, unassuming at first glance, but the aura of someone who was used to being ten steps ahead was impossible to hide.
And Drake recognized her immediately: Lila Von Aurora.
Peak family blood ran in her veins—the Aurora family—and her intellect was rumored to operate ten times faster than ordinary people. One would think her youth would be a disadvantage, but her presence alone radiated authority and danger.
Drake's grin widened. There was something delicious about this. Something that made him lean back, hands in pocket. He didn't know why it amused him, but seeing her confidence—so absolute, so fearless—made him want to see how far she'd go.
He gestured toward a quieter corner of the hall, and she followed without hesitation.
"What do you want?" Drake asked, a sadistic grin stretching across his face. He didn't often ask questions—people usually answered themselves by the choices they made—but there was something about her that intrigued him.
"I want to join."
Drake froze for a heartbeat, the words hanging in the air like a noxious perfume. "Your organisation" That was… bold. His fingers twitched slightly as a laugh bubbled from his throat, sharp and feral.
"No," he said flatly. He didn't try to deny whatever nonsense she was spouting.
She tilted her head, unimpressed. "I can be the brains and the firepower." Her grin matched his in arrogance, radiating the lethal confidence of someone who knew she was capable of reshaping entire battlefields alone. "Don't kid yourself. I alone am enough to destroy this kingdom."Drake said.
He wasn't bluffing. A small smirk tugged at his lips.
"And yet," She said slowly, "you haven't."
"Because I haven't found something worth the effort," he replied lightly,
Then she said, her voice almost teasing. "I'll join—or I'll tell the Knight Order."
Drake's grin sharpened, the kind of grin that promised blood and fire. "If I kill you, that won't happen."
She didn't flinch. "But you haven't yet."
He laughed softly, a sound carrying the thrill of the hunt. Fine. He raised a hand, gesturing for her to follow. "You'll join. But one thing—you obey me, completely. Loyalty above all else. No questions. No hesitation."
She considered him, then smirked. "Agreed. I'll obey, for now."
Drake nodded, satisfied. "Good. The meeting place."
They moved swiftly and silently, exiting the Academy grounds to meet Drakelle and Athena. By nightfall, the four of them had gathered in a small hotel far from the Academy but close enough to the dorms. It was a neutral territory, quiet and isolated, perfect for their plotting.
Drakelle leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. Her tone was flat and sarcastic. "So… we've got a new person? Say hooray."
Drake's grin widened, fingers drumming against the table with an almost sadistic rhythm. "Haaa… so I'm the Crimson King," he said, voice low, resonant with menace. "Drakelle is Rose, Athena is Poppy," he added, giving a sly glance at Athena, who blushed faintly. "And Lila… is Lily."
Drakelle raised an eyebrow. "Flowers?"
"Yes," Drake said, eyes glinting like knives. "Names of flowers. Makes an impact. Crimson Flowers. Symbolism, chaos, elegance, and death, all in one."
Athena smiled softly, but there was no mistaking the seriousness behind her expression. Lila simply chuckled, a sound that carried both amusement and danger.
Drake rose from his chair, moving to the window to gaze out at the streets below. "Tonight," he muttered, almost to himself, "we strike somewhere unexpected." His hand drummed along the windowframe as if already tasting the chaos that would follow.
Drakelle raised a brow, her crimson eyes following him. "What exactly are we hitting tonight?"
Drake's grin darkened. "A group of bandits. They've been gathering and selling equipment I don't like." He paused, letting the words sink in. "…my own kryptonite, to be exact."
Drakelle blinked, confusion flickering across her face. "Kryptonite?"
Drake's grin widened further. He didn't answer—words weren't necessary. Instead, he picked up a small scroll, rolled it in his hand, and closed his eyes briefly, feeling the hum of the system. No quest notifications. The system was silent for far too long. The path was his alone.
Athena tilted her head. "So… we just do it?"
"Yes," Drake said, voice low and dangerous. "And we make sure they never forget it."
He turned toward them, his presence domineering, every word weighted with authority and power. "We each have our roles. Our codenames will dictate how we approach tonight. Hair, bodysuits, everything must match. We vanish as one. We hit as one. And we leave only chaos behind."
Lila, now Lily, smirked, already running through potential strategies in her mind. "I can plan this. Predict their movements, manipulate the environment, take control of their leadership. Firepower and brains."
Drake's grin widened. "Exactly. You'll be the fire and the mind. Athena, Poppy—your role is critical. Drakelle, Rose, you and I… we are the tip of the spear." He stepped closer to the group, shadowed by the dim lamplight of the hotel room. "We will strike, and they will remember us. Not as thieves. Not as rebels. Not as students. The Crimson Flowers will bloom in blood tonight."
Drakelle's expression remained cool, but a spark of excitement danced in her eyes. Athena's blush deepened, a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. Lila laughed softly, a sound both sharp and alluring.
Drake chuckled softly, his fingers tracing the edge of the table. "And the best part? No one can tell us what to do. No one can stop us. We are unbound. Free. And tonight…" His voice dropped to a whisper, yet it carried a weight that made their hearts race. "…tonight, we'll taste the thrill of absolute power."
The four of them moved to prepare, each donning their bodysuits matching their codenames. Crimson, scarlet, bright white, and dark black—every color a symbol, every suit a mark of identity. Their hair was dyed, styled, or left wild to match their persona. The city wouldn't recognize them. The world wouldn't recognize them.
Drake's eyes glinted from under the hood, the slitted pupils catching the faint lamplight. He adjusted his gloves, feeling the hum of his mana running under his skin, alive and eager for chaos.
Drakelle stretched her arms, her crimson hair reflecting the soft light. "Ready, Crimson King?"
Drake's grin was feral. "Always."
Athena, Poppy, smiled nervously. "We'll follow your lead."
Lila, Lily, adjusted her gloves and smirked. "Let's make them remember why Peak families fear the unknown."
Drake's laughter, low and menacing, filled the room. The Crimson Flowers were about to strike, and no one—no kingdom, no knight, no academy—would ever forget this night.
Outside, the city slept, oblivious to the storm approaching in silence. The first strike, the first bloom, of the Crimson Flowers was about to awaken.
And Drake, the Crimson King, relished it.
[End Of Volume 1]