Theo ignored the small commotion that had just happened. He looked relaxed instead, sitting back while enjoying the milk coffee Alvano had just bought him. A small smile curved on his lips, as if the outside world no longer mattered right now.
"So, have you ever played Mystic Sorcery?" Theo asked, leaning toward Alvano. "It's an old game I used to play on my brother's computer when I was a kid. The graphics were simple, but the magic system and combat were incredible for its time."
Alvano turned to listen. He nodded occasionally, but his eyes weren't fully on Theo. From time to time, he glanced toward the table across the room — where the elite students sat — more precisely, at the girl he had accidentally bumped into that morning. Her gaze was the same as before: calm, yet carrying a loneliness hard to describe. She looked different from her friends, even though she blended in among them.
"Hey, are you even listening?" Theo snapped, slightly annoyed at being ignored.
"Sorry, I just... got distracted for a second," Alvano replied quickly, refocusing.
Theo narrowed his eyes and scoffed. "So the thing that caught your attention wasn't our talk, but that weird bunch over there, huh?"
Alvano didn't answer immediately, just smiled faintly. Theo continued half-jokingly, "Don't tell me you're still thinking about that girl you bumped into."
Alvano was about to deny it, but before he could speak, the cafeteria atmosphere shifted again. The elite group was now moving toward a table occupied by regular students.
The girl who seemed to be their leader stood arrogantly in front of the table. Her face was calm, but her eyes were sharp.
"This table's ours. Move," she said flatly.
The students sitting there exchanged panicked looks. Without needing a second command, they stood up, gathered their things, and left the table in silence. None of them dared to resist — everyone knew that crossing this group meant trouble.
Theo watched the scene with a lazy expression. "Look at that. They even treat seats like territories."
Alvano nodded slowly, his gaze still fixed on the girl sitting at the far right — the same girl he'd met that morning. For some reason, that strange feeling returned, as if fate had tied him to something he didn't yet understand.
After taking over the table, the elite group sat with arrogant composure. The leader swept her gaze around, ensuring no one disturbed their comfort. As the others began chatting, she turned toward one of the girls they had just driven away.
"Hey, you," she called, her tone cold yet firm.
The girl turned, startled that she was being addressed. She had already packed her meal and was about to leave, but froze at the sound.
"Take our lunch orders and bring them here when they're ready," the leader said, folding her arms.
The girl hesitated. Her eyes flickered between them, especially the commanding one. Her lips parted as if to protest, but she quickly nodded instead. She knew exactly who she was dealing with — someone she couldn't refuse without consequences.
"Alright…" she whispered.
She walked back toward the table and began asking each one what they wanted. The elite students listed their meals lazily, like giving orders to a servant. But when she reached the last girl — the one who had bumped into Alvano that morning — her answer surprised everyone.
"No need. I'll order mine myself," the girl said calmly, without even looking up.
The leader glanced at her. Though her face remained expressionless, her eyes carried a hint of annoyance. She said nothing, only exhaled sharply and turned away.
"Hurry up. Don't make us wait," she said flatly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
The girl nodded quietly and hurried toward the food counter. Since the group was from the elite class, the cafeteria staff automatically prioritized their meals — the portions were richer, the plating more refined, everything served with unnecessary luxury. Within minutes, the first orders were ready.
The girl came back carrying a tray with two meals, walking carefully to keep her balance. Sweat beaded on her forehead from running back and forth, but she stayed polite and composed.
One of the elite students glanced at his watch and clicked his tongue.
"So slow. Is she walking on turtle legs?" he muttered loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
The girl bit her lip, holding back her feelings. She didn't reply — only rushed off again to get the next order. Some students in the cafeteria began to notice the scene, but no one dared intervene.
Meanwhile, Alvano, seated not far from them, watched the whole thing uneasily. His eyes narrowed at the arrogance before him. His hand curled into a fist — quiet anger growing.
Theo, sitting beside him, had also seen it. But his expression remained calm, deliberately detached.
"Don't think too much about it, Van," Theo said softly, sipping his coffee. "If you get involved, your life here won't be peaceful anymore."
"But that's too much…" Alvano muttered, still staring at the elite table.
And as if to prove his words, the next moment pushed him to the edge. When the girl returned with another tray, one of the seven elites — a boy with neatly tied long hair — stuck his leg out in her path.
It all happened in an instant. The girl didn't notice and tripped. The tray flew, food spilling everywhere — some landing on the boy's pants.
Chaos broke out immediately.
"Clumsy idiot!" the boy barked, standing up and brushing at his clothes. "Look what you've done!"
The girl panicked, quickly crouching to clean up the mess while apologizing over and over. Cafeteria staff rushed in to help, but the scene was already tense. Other students whispered among themselves, but no one dared to step forward.
The leader, still seated at the center, looked furious. She rose and approached, her gaze icy.
"You can't even handle a simple task without ruining everything," she said coldly. "If you're that incompetent, you shouldn't have tried in the first place."
Her words cut deep. Even the onlookers flinched at the cruelty in her tone.
Alvano clenched his fist tighter. His eyes burned toward the group, jaw locked in restrained anger. He wanted to stand — but Theo gently tapped his shoulder.
"Calm down. Don't rush it," Theo whispered.
"Didn't you see that? That's too far."
"I did. But think clearly. Acting recklessly will only drag you into trouble. We're nobodies here."
Alvano fell silent. His chest burned, but Theo was right. He lowered his gaze, trying to steady his breath.
Across the room, the girl who had bumped into him earlier watched quietly. Her eyes were calm yet deep — showing no clear reaction, but carrying something unreadable behind her silence.