A man dressed in pristine white attire, his glasses glinting under the light, strode through the crowd with effortless authority. His voice was deep and commanding as he asked, “What’s the commotion here?”

  The moment snapped Ric out of his intimidation. He blinked, realizing his hand was still tightly wrapped around Halberd’s throat. His mind worked fast. If he let go too quickly, it would look suspicious. Instead, with a sudden shift, his grip loosened, sliding up to Halberd’s shoulders in one smooth motion.

  By the time Rasmond’s gaze landed on them, Ric was kneading Halberd’s shoulders with an exaggerated look of concern. “Oh, sir—” Ric glanced at the badge. “Rasmond Ross. I was just giving the young master a massage.”

  A beat of silence followed.

  Rasmond frowned. “This is hardly the place for that.”

  Ric let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head. “What can I do, sir? I’m just a humble peasant. When Young Master Halberd 'orders' something, I must obey.” His expression was one of pure, feigned resignation.

  The crowd stirred with muffled laughter, though no one dared to let it slip.

  Halberd’s eyes widened in disbelief. “W-When did I—”

  Ric’s fingers subtly dug into Halberd’s shoulders, applying just enough pressure to make him wince. Ric’s smile remained polite. “Ah, young master, was my massage too firm?”

  “I will give you five seconds; get lost from my sight within that time!” Rasmond ordered.

  “Five.”

  Ric replied, “With pleasure~.” He then leaned in, whispering so only Halberd could hear, “Whenever you want to meet with God, come to me. I will arrange an appointment for you.”

  “Four.”

  Halberd bolted without looking back, and Ric turned on his heel, slipping into the dispersing crowd.

  Later, Ric met up with Yota, who crossed his arms and gave him a disapproving look.

  “Hey, Ric, why did you do that?”

  Ric sighed, rubbing his temple. “Haa… I didn’t want to, but that guy disrespected my parents. Got me slightly angered.”

  Yota frowned. “That was 'slight'?”

  “Well… Ugh, forget that!” Ric waved it off. Then, as they neared the dorm, his expression grew serious. “Before we go in, listen to me, Yota. There are people you should not mess with in this academy until—”

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  “Until?” Yota prompted.

  “Until you become someone so precious that the academy can't replace you.” Ric's voice was firm.

  Yota raised an eyebrow. “But the academy is an equal ground for everyone.”

  Ric shook his head. “Only within the academy. Outside? The real world doesn’t work like that. I know you like doing what’s right, but just try to avoid the three great families, okay?”

  Yota stiffened slightly. “T-The three great families… Uh… Um… Yeah, I will.”

  Ric narrowed his eyes. “Wait. You know about them, right?”

  “Well… Yeah… They're great families… Right?” Yota mumbled nervously.

  Ric sighed. “You slacker, let me explain. Aside from the imperial family, there are three great noble families in the Kingdom of Alcra: the family of swordsmen, the Jin Family; the family of tanks, the Trevor Family; and the family of knights, the Ross Family. These families were the backbone of the human-demon war, earning them the power they have today. If they wish, they could erase us from existence, and no one would dare question it. So just stay clear of them.”

  “Don’t worry, buddy, I gotcha,” Yota said confidently.

  Ric nodded and pulled some clothes from his bag, handing them to Yota.

  “Wait, if you had these, why didn’t you give them to me earlier?” Yota asked.

  Ric smirked. “Where would you have worn them? On the street?”

  Yota chuckled. “Heh, fair point.”

  As they entered the dorm, the atmosphere shifted. The commoner students inside regarded them seriously. The dorm was surprisingly large, furnished with five bunk beds. Ric’s sharp eyes scanned the room.

  “Not bad. Guess they really do treat everyone equally,” he thought.

  A timid boy wearing glasses hesitantly stepped forward.

  Ric met him with an unreadable gaze. “What do you want?”

  The boy flinched but bowed deeply. “T-T-Thank you! For helping me before!”

  Ric raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”

  Yota, recognizing him, clapped his hands. “Oh! It’s you. What was your name again?”

  “M-M-My name is Jimmy, Mr. Hero!” the boy said, his voice full of admiration.

  Yota grinned, puffing his chest out. “Oh~ come on~ Mr. Hero? I’m not that great~.”

  Ric exhaled sharply. “So, you’re the one Halberd was bullying?”

  “Y-Y-Yes!” Jimmy nodded eagerly.

  Ric's expression turned cold. “Then, are you done?”

  Jimmy blinked. “H-Huh?”

  “Are you done thanking us?” Ric repeated, his tone sharper.

  “Y-Y-Yes, but—”

  “Then get lost,” Ric said flatly.

  Yota’s smile dropped. “Hey, Ric! That’s rude!”

  Jimmy hesitated, but Ric’s glare made him step back. Slowly, he shuffled to his bed, shoulders hunched.

  Yota turned to Ric, eyes blazing. “Why did you do that?!”

  Ric met his gaze evenly. “Yota, we’re not here to play games. Everyone here is a challenger, an enemy we need to overcome—including Jimmy. If you want to achieve your dream, you need to trample on others. Otherwise, you’ll be the one trampled. That is the reality of this world. Remember it.”

  He turned, walking toward a bed, but Yota’s voice stopped him.

  “Then… are you also included in 'everyone'?”

  A heavy silence hung between them.

  Then, without looking back, Ric answered in a daunting tone, “Yes. Try to trample on me if you can.”

  After that, Ric and Yota didn't talk to each other, and time went by. Then the time for the exam came near.

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