After witnessing the humiliating scene that befell the girl forced to act as a servant, Alvano's anger truly reached its peak. Though he had always been a calm person, this kind of incident tore apart the limits of his patience. His fists clenched tightly under the table, his eyes locked sharply on the group of elite students who were still chuckling as if nothing was wrong with their actions.
During the first semester, the school seemed fine. There had been no disturbances like this. But Alvano knew well there were things that kept bothering his mind. He had seen with his own eyes how some students from the lower classes—especially Class D—were treated unfairly. The bullying wasn't done openly, but it was clear from the attitude, the looks, and the way teachers and students treated them differently.
Alvano had even seen a student from Class D with a bruised face trying to report to the counseling room. But after a few days, that student still looked gloomy and never mentioned anything again. As if all the complaints had simply vanished without any action from the school. Over time, everyone grew used to the injustice. They stayed silent and accepted it—or pretended not to see.
And now, the peak of it was unfolding right before his eyes. The behavior of the elite students, which he had only heard through whispers among other students, was now laid bare. They treated others as if they were servants. Too much. Too cruel. And it made Alvano furious.
What made him lose control even more was that this wasn't just a trivial matter. It touched his pride, his principles as a human being. He couldn't stay still when someone innocent was treated like trash.
Without realizing it, heat radiated from his body. His eyes narrowed sharply, focusing on the chair of one of the elite students who had just laughed at the fallen girl. He channeled a bit of his energy—the power he had always kept hidden—and stared intensely at the chair.
Slowly, the chair moved backward. Just slightly, but enough to make its owner uneasy. The elite student looked behind him in confusion, checking his feet and the floor below.
"Weird… my chair just moved on its own?" he muttered softly.
Alvano gritted his teeth. He wanted to knock that chair down, make the boy fall just like they made that girl fall earlier. But before his power could be fully released, a loud bang on the table startled everyone.
BRAK!
Every eye in the cafeteria turned toward the source of the sound. Theo stood there, pretending to look terrified. He pointed under their table and shouted,
"Green fly! I swear, it was a huge green fly!"
Some students looked confused, others stared at him strangely. But it was enough to draw everyone's attention—including Alvano's. His focus scattered, the energy flow stopped, and the chair that was about to fall went still.
Theo quickly grabbed Alvano's arm and pulled him up. He whispered firmly,
"We're leaving. Now."
Alvano tried to resist, but Theo's sharp glare forced him to comply. They walked quickly out of the cafeteria, leaving behind the small commotion still filled with murmurs. Some students were still talking about the "green fly" that supposedly appeared out of nowhere. But only Theo and Alvano knew what had really happened.
Once they reached the quiet corridor, Theo released his grip and glared at Alvano.
"Are you insane, Van?" he hissed. "If you had actually made that chair fall, everyone would've gotten suspicious!"
Alvano lowered his head, his breathing still heavy. He knew Theo was right. But the anger inside him hadn't completely faded.
"I just… I just can't stand seeing them like that. This isn't about lunch or a damn chair. They treat others like garbage! As if they're gods."
"I know. But that's no reason to risk your secret!" Theo snapped. "Do you think your power wouldn't draw attention? If they find out, you know what'll happen. The school might start suspecting you—or worse, outside forces might take notice. You're not just another kid, Van. You're not like us."
Alvano stared at Theo in silence. His breath was still rough, the storm in his chest still raging. He knew Theo was right, but his feelings were a mess. He wanted to beat those elite students. He wanted to see them pay for what they'd done. But Theo wasn't someone who spoke without reason—his friend always thought several steps ahead.
"So what, we just stay quiet?" Alvano muttered. "Let everyone keep being treated like that?"
"We're not staying quiet," Theo replied softly, his tone calming. "We're waiting for the right time. If you act recklessly now, you'll be crushed before you can do anything. You have something far greater than all of this, Van. Don't ruin your future over a burst of rage."
Silence filled the corridor. Alvano looked toward the window, watching the sky grow cloudy. His mind was tangled, but Theo's words made something in him click. He couldn't act recklessly. His power wasn't just a tool for revenge—it could become something much greater, if he used it wisely.
"Then," Alvano finally murmured, "I'll wait. But one day, if they keep doing this… I won't stand by."
Theo nodded. "And when that day comes, I'll be by your side."
The two of them walked down the now-empty hallway. Deep inside, both knew—today was only the beginning of something much bigger. The peace within this school had started to crack. And Alvano was no longer just an ordinary student who could close his eyes to the injustice happening around him.
On the other side, the girl who had bumped into Alvano earlier that morning watched something closely. Her eyes followed Alvano and Theo as they left the cafeteria with serious expressions. Something about them felt strange—not just the commotion earlier, but the faint, different aura surrounding them, especially Alvano. She narrowed her eyes slightly, as if trying to analyze something that couldn't be explained by ordinary logic.
Moments later, the cafeteria's atmosphere shifted again when three other students entered the room. They were members of Velmont High School's Student Council. Though not all of them came from elite families, their positions still commanded respect—the council's authority in this school was nearly equal to the upper-class students. All eyes immediately turned to them.
One of them, a boy with a casual yet commanding demeanor, smirked slightly before saying,
"The mood here's like a funeral. This is a cafeteria, not a morgue."
His words made several students chuckle. Slowly, the cafeteria's atmosphere came back to life. Conversations resumed, and the tension began to fade.
The girl who had been watching Alvano finally stood up and joined the food line. Meanwhile, the elite students continued eating, their eyes coldly fixed on the council members.