June 5, 2024
Following the newspaper report about Lily Taylor's kidnapping, the school was buzzing with rumors. While some students felt genuine concern for their teacher, others were secretly pleased. Lily was a mathematics teacher notorious for preparing exams that were far above average difficulty. With finals week approaching, if Lily didn't turn up by then, someone else would have to write the exam. For many grade-obsessed students, this was an opportunity too good to pass up. For the sake of their own interests, they ignored the fact that a woman's life was in danger—some even wished for her to remain "missing" just a little longer.
The sounds of a fight breaking out in Class 12-B cut through the hallway clamor like a knife. Glenn Jones had a student by the collar, shouting in a rage:
— "Tell me you're lying!"
The student stammered in fear:
— "I'm not lying! I saw it in the paper this morning, ask anyone!"
Glenn leaned in close to the boy's face:
— "Do you think I'm stupid enough to believe the math teacher was kidnapped?"
Just then, another boy in the group tremblingly handed a newspaper to Glenn. When Glenn saw the article, the fury on his face was replaced by a cold dread. He read the lines to himself:
May 31, 2024 - 16:00: Mathematics teacher L.T. was kidnapped while returning home from school...
"What is this nonsense supposed to mean?" Glenn muttered.
Why would someone target a woman like Lily Taylor—someone who lived like a shadow and had no ties to anyone? He felt like he was caught in a sick joke.
"Why would they even kidnap that woman?"
The more he thought, the more frustrated he became; and the more frustrated he became, the more aggressive he grew. His eyes darted to Richard, who was quietly solving test questions in the back row.
A little fun wouldn't hurt.
He stormed over to Richard, grabbed him by the arm, and forcibly dragged him toward the roof.
Richard was used to Glenn's bullying by now. Since he felt no physical pain, the blows were nothing more than mere jolts to his body. As Glenn dragged him along, Richard's mind was elsewhere:
"Keeping my dear teacher away from the demons of this world was truly the right decision," he thought to himself.
"I am strong, but Lily is not. The demons would surely have harmed her."
Once they reached the roof, Glenn took out all his pent-up nerves on Richard. However, Richard neither screamed nor pleaded; for Glenn, this took all the fun out of it.
— "You freak!" Glenn bellowed. "If you don't want to get beaten anymore, beg like a dog! Then I'll let you go, you get it?"
Lying on the concrete ground, covered in blood, Richard asked only one question:
— "Why are you doing this to me?"
Glenn replied with a look of utter contempt:
— "What a stupid question... Do I need to have a reason? I'm just having fun."
Bored of beating Richard, Glenn eventually left him on the roof and headed back down. Richard lay on his back, staring up at the sky from the cold concrete. These words escaped his lips:
"I must protect my dear teacher forever."
His gaze darkened, and his voice turned ice-cold:
"If I truly want to protect her... I must first eliminate the demons of this world."