Marcos Eldebrans stood frozen with a look of pure exasperation. Kazien's blunt rejection in front of so many people felt like a stinging slap to his pride as the son of the Finance Minister. The veins in his neck tightened, and his breath grew heavy with suppressed rage.
"You will regret this decision, Kazien! Mark my words!" Marcos hissed in a low, threatening voice. He then turned around sharply. "Let's go back to the second floor! Being near these commoners makes me nauseous."
Marcos marched away, followed by his three companions. However, anyone who saw his eyes at that moment knew this matter was far from over. A glint of vengeance burned there, as if he were already drafting the worst possible scenario to destroy the junior's life.
Don't expect to live in peace at this academy, Kazien. I'll make you crawl and beg for my forgiveness! Marcos thought spitefully.
"Marcos, what are you planning for him?" asked Brian, one of his followers, once they were out of earshot. "Can the three of us help you?"
Marcos paused for a moment, then glanced at his friends. "Brian, are you sure you want to get involved in teaching that brat a lesson?"
"It's not just me!" Brian replied firmly. "Shabe and Dian will help you too. We don't like commoners acting so arrogant in front of us."
Sheba and Dian nodded in unison, confirming their loyalty to Marcos.
A wicked smirk slowly carved itself onto Marcos's face. The support of his friends made his confidence surge once more. However, Brian, seeing that smirk, felt a slight chill in his heart. He could sense that Marcos's plan this time was more than just simple intimidation.
Meanwhile, in the boisterous academy cafeteria, Kazien sat with his three fiancés, Alvin, Allen, and Arken and his younger cousin, Erica. Although the surroundings seemed normal, the five of them were actually engaged in a very serious conversation.
"Brother Kazien." Erica spoke up, her eyes looking at Kazien with deep curiosity. "Is it true that you once hit a girl at this academy?"
Kazien sighed, then gave a small nod. "Yes, Erica, that's true. I hit her after she challenged me to a duel."
"It was because that girl was absolutely outrageous!" Alvin chimed in, his tone still sharp with lingering annoyance. "She tried to force Kazien to hand me over to her. She wanted to make me hers by force. When I tried to speak to her calmly, she only became more arrogant. Kazien had no choice but to face her in an official duel to protect me after she issued the challenge."
Alvin shuddered at the memory. "She even pulled and gripped my hand so tightly, as if I were a piece of merchandise. That woman was truly terrifying."
"But that man named Marcos really made me sick!" Arken suddenly interjected, his hands clenched tightly on the table. His eyes radiated a lethal, cold aura. "Honestly, if it weren't for My Huby's plan, I would have taken his head off in the corridor earlier."
"Calm yourself, Arken." Alvin said softly, patting his hand. "You're not the only one who feels that way. Allen and I feel it too. However, if we act rashly now, everything Kazien has planned will fall apart."
Arken could only huff in frustration, but he obeyed Alvin's words and tried to dampen his anger.
Suddenly, a blonde female student approached their table. She looked at Erica with a friendly smile that seemed genuine.
"Hello, I'm Janette Kaldven!" she greeted. "What's your name? And... is this handsome man your fiancé?" Janette glanced at Kazien with a spark of interest she couldn't hide.
Erica returned the greeting warmly, but she intentionally raised her voice so the eavesdroppers in the cafeteria could hear. "Hello, I'm Erica. And this handsome man is my older cousin. Nice to meet you, Janette."
Kazien responded only with a brief, formal nod.
"What? Your cousin?" Janette looked surprised. "I thought he was your boyfriend or fiancé!"
Erica chuckled, then stood up and hugged Allen from behind affectionately. "Of course not! And this man here is my older brother. His name is Allen."
Allen, who usually preferred peace and quiet, was now forced to wave his hand awkwardly at the people starting to take notice of them. "Hello, nice to meet you all." he replied curtly.
"Then, who is the brown-haired student and the handsome Elf next to them?" asked another female student who had approached out of curiosity.
"This is Arken, Kazien's younger brother. And next to him is Alvin, Kazien's fiancé." Erica answered proudly. "The two of them plan to get married soon after graduating from this academy."
"Hello. I'm Alvin, Kazien's fiancé. Nice to meet you!" Alvin greeted with a sincere smile that left several students mesmerized.
"I'm Arken, Kazien's brother. Nice to meet you." Arken added in a relaxed manner.
However, the warm atmosphere suddenly turned cold. The academy students listening in realized one crucial thing: the five of them had not mentioned a family name at all. In the rigid social structure of the academy, those without a prominent last name were automatically deemed commoners.
Some students who had seemed interested in approaching now began to look on with cynicism. They distanced themselves as if being a commoner were a contagious disease.
Erica observed this shift in attitude with a keen eye. She reached a conclusion in her heart. So, is this why Brother Kazien hid our identities? she thought, watching her surroundings. I didn't think the people here were so shallow. They only see titles, status, and wealth, not the person.
She gave a faint smile to herself. If we admitted to being part of the Altavis family, they would surely act kind or even try to suck up to us. Brother Kazien is truly amazing! Erica mused, admiring her cousin. This way, we can filter out who is a sincere friend and who is just chasing power.
But just as the atmosphere grew uncertain, a male student with a very striking appearance walked over. He had bright blue hair that shimmered under the sunlight streaming through the windows, and his gait radiated a powerful aura of authority.
Kazien instantly recognized who the man was. Although he tried to stay calm and show no reaction, the bright blue-haired man was not easily deceived.
The handsome man stopped right beside Kazien. He leaned down slightly and whispered in a tone that could only be heard by those at the table.
"Why are you hiding your identity at this academy, Kazien Altavis?"