My eyes scanned the end of the street, searching for any suspicious movement, but all I saw were people going about their day. Not a single hooded figure in sight. Still breathing heavily like I’d just run ten kilometers, I pressed my right hand to my chest and leaned against the dormitory wall. My heart was racing like crazy.

  That Suzan woman was making me jumpy and on edge. Yet, thinking back to when I snuck into her base, I was sure it wasn’t her trying to kill me. It was that weird thing tied to the wordless book.

  Orlaath, the Gluttonous Queen of Endless Desire, had been controlling Suzan. But I had no idea why she’d specifically chosen her. Was Suzan just as twisted as Orlaath? Or was it fate? Again, I had too many questions and not enough answers. I hated it.

  “You all right, kid?” a guard asked, walking up to me. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost—or maybe caught sight of that pervert stealing panties?”

  “No, sir,” I said, shaking my head. “I think Suzan was just here. I saw her.”

  “Suzan?” He furrowed his brows. “That crazy cannibal? There’s no way she’s still in Kinowa, kid. She probably bolted to the nearest city. We even dropped the investigation. Don’t be paranoid.”

  “No, no.” I said with a dull voice, refusing to back down. “I saw her. She was wearing a hood and... I saw her. I swear.”

  “You’re Axel, right?” he said, his tone softening. “I heard what happened with her. You fought her bravely. That’s why you’re so on edge. You fear she might go after you or something, right? I understand.”

  “Fought her?” I asked, trying to catch my breath. “I barely made it out alive. I didn’t fight her off.”

  “You saved our men in that cabin. Her and that maniac of a mother drugged the soup,” he explained. “But you stopped them. That was brave, kid. I’d like to shake your hand. One of my friends was stationed there. You saved his ass.”

  “Oh,” I muttered, my voice flat. “Sure.”

  We shook hands, and he gave my shoulder a pat before stepping back. He didn’t seem to believe me, and from what he said, they’d already closed the investigation on Suzan and her mother. The other guards wouldn’t take me seriously as well if that was the case. What a mess I’d gotten myself into...

  Why was she still here? Was it because of me? If so, I wanted to wake up from this never-ending nightmare. A deranged cannibal after me was the last thing I needed in my otherwise dull and normal life.

  “Well, I’ve got to go, kid,” he said. “Stay safe.”

  “Yes. Thank you, sir.”

  “Axel!” a voice called out. I turned to see Jane waving at me near the girls’ dormitory doors. “Hey!”

  “Jane?” I said, walking toward her. She met me halfway. “What’s up, what happened?”

  “Hey, good morning,” she greeted awkwardly. “I, uh… I wanted to ask if you’d like to join our team for the tournament. I know I asked this before but---”

  “I’m already in a team,” I replied. “Leo, Aiden, Seker, and I. But we’re looking for another member. I can recommend you if you’re interested.”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Oh… I’m already in a team. I can’t do that. Sorry.”

  “Shame,” I said, wanting to cut the conversation short. “Well, see you. And don’t worry—I haven’t forgotten the gold I owe your father. I’ll pay him back.”

  “You don’t need to—”

  “I do,” I interrupted, already walking back toward the boys’ dormitory. “See you.”

  “Y-yeah,” she stammered, sounding unsure. “See you…”

  ══════?══════

  Pushing the double doors open, I entered Redwood and began walking toward my classroom. The sidelong glances from students had noticeably lessened. The story of me helping the Queen was slowly fading from memory, replaced by rumors about the Queen and the general being a couple. This was good. I was relieved that people were forgetting me, letting me blend into the crowd.

  The first lesson was still twenty minutes away, so I decided to sit at one of the tables near the giant tree in the hall. That’s when I spotted Mox quietly reading a book, seated at one of the tables. This was goid opportunity for me.

  “Hey,” I said, walking toward her.

  “Oh, Axel,” she said, looking up. “Morning. I never thought you’d start a conversation with someone willingly.”

  “Do you have a team for the tournament? Wanna join our team?”

  “Straight to the point, huh?” She smirked, leaning back. “No small talk. I like it.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Don’t be a stranger. Sit.” She gestured to the empty chair.

  I did as she suggested and adjusted my cravat. Without Phobe around to help, I’d done my best to tie it myself—unsuccessfully. The knot was too short, and it looked ridiculous. Mox noticed, stifling a chuckle as she shook her head. Since embarrassment wasn’t something I felt much anymore, I just stared back at her with my dull, half-lidded eyes.

  Scraping her chair back, she stood and walked over to me, leaning in close. She grabbed my cravat and untied it.

  “This is the most pathetic cravat tying I’ve seen in my entire life,” she said. “Were you about to invite me to a team looking like a circus clown?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well.” She sighed, draping the cravat over my shoulders and starting to retie it. “Who’s on your team?”

  “Leo, Aiden, Seker, and me,” I replied, my gaze wandering to her neckline. I caught a glimpse of the edge of her blue bra—though I tried to hide that I was looking.

  “Would you join?”

  “Maybe,” she said, fixing my collar after finishing the knot. “But I didn’t hear you say please.”

  “Please.”

  “Then I shall.” She sank back into her chair, looking satisfied. “We should start training after school.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed. “We should, I guess.”

  “I thought you weren’t going to join, though. What changed your mind?”

  “The gold reward,” I said flatly. “That changed it.”

  “Ah, but of course,” she said, her scaled wings twitching slightly. “Gold.”

  “Hmm.” I stood up, pushing my chair back into place. “I guess we’re done here.”

  “You just sat down,” she protested.

  “And now I’m getting up,” I replied. “See you.”

  “Ugh… yeah, yeah,” she said, waving dismissively. “See ya, weirdo.”

  I walked over to a window, peering outside. The garden was filling with sleepy-eyed students, dragging themselves toward their classes. My thoughts drifted back to Suzan. She had been so close to where I stayed. Too close. I needed to deal with her—but how? She was dangerous, and I didn’t even know where to start.

  “I need to level up,” I muttered to myself. “Or I’m dead. Either eaten or chopped to bits. I have to get stronger…”