Chapter 50: A Suspicious Transfer Student...?

The days passed without issue. Trish helped Father, Anna helped when she could, and the usual classes at the academy continued. The routine had settled, and by then, the Bank of Aurion drama had become far more prevalent.

Even among the academy students, whispers were spreading, and not just from Houses that had been targeted. Everyone was starting to notice the bank’s strange movements.

"Is your family handling the bank well?"

I asked Anna as she walked beside me, looking slightly disheveled from dealing with the situation. Still, she kept her smile. Unlike other Houses, House Rose had received help from mine.

My father clearly hadn’t forgotten the conversation Anna once had with him.

"With your father’s help, it’s been manageable. Though balancing it with my academic work has been difficult."

"Maybe I should tutor you for a change. It’ll help you multi-task."

"I’m supposed to be your tutor, Reyn, not the other way around."

"We can switch roles every now and then."

Anna shook her head, forming an X with her hands.

"No can do, mister."

She said it firmly, but the smile tugging at her lips betrayed how much she enjoyed the idea. I let it drop. If she wanted to cling to her role, who was I to argue? Watching her puff up with pride every time she taught me something had become one of the quieter pleasures of my new life.

THUD!

A sudden commotion ahead stopped us both in our tracks. And the figure at the center of it looked deathly familiar.

It was the same person I had visited weeks ago. Lady Lillith Crimson of House Crimson, daughter of a viscount.

Right now, she was leading a group of students as they subdued another, much rowdier one, who was screaming about the entire situation being unjust before having his mouth promptly stuffed with a handkerchief.

"Lady Anna, a pleasure."

"A pleasure as well, Lady Lillith."

"You two know each other?"

I asked, surprised Anna was already acquainted with another villainess.

I had been saving Lillith for after Trish and Aqua, so discovering that Anna already had some connection to her was... interesting.

"Well..."

Anna gave a nervous smile before leaning in close to whisper in my ear.

"That student holds a grudge against you. I’m just making sure he doesn’t do anything foolish."

Right... Anna had fully snapped by now. I just hadn’t expected her to enlist Lillith’s help instead of relying on Trish. But considering the circumstances, it made sense; she’d chosen someone else to lighten Trish’s burden.

"What do you plan to do with him?"

"We caught him plotting treason against another noble house, Lord Brimstone. We’re simply carrying out the punishment as part of the academy council."

Lillith glanced back at her entourage, who had the student practically hogtied. With a snap of her fingers, they hauled him upright and escorted him down the hallway, Lillith leading the way.

Well... that was certainly a nice change of pace from all the bank schemes.

"We should get going before we’re late for P.E.," Anna said, not even reacting to what had just happened.

"Yeah..."

✧ ✦ ✧

THUD!

THUD!

The sound of Nicholas tripping over something in the courtyard rang out as he tumbled to the ground, his skin shifting to solid metal before he landed, tanking most of the impact before he stood up in a fit of coughing.

"I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’ve actually surpassed me, kid..."

The two of us were jogging together while Anna watched from the sidelines, having just finished her own workout and settled on a bench with a bottle of water.

"Pretty sure that happened three weeks ago already."

I said smugly, and he just laughed, stretching his shoulders.

"I wouldn’t go that far. I still have far more body mass than you, kid."

I laughed, using the break to rest while Nicholas recovered before we resumed jogging. But I couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes watching me, something that had been lingering ever since the week began.

"Are you familiar with that student over there?"

I gestured toward a figure in the distance, busy with a game of tug-of-war. He didn’t look obvious about it, but I could swear he’d been staring at me.

Anna would have noticed too. She was always by my side, after all. It was impossible she hadn’t.

"I heard he’s the son of one of the Bank of Aurion’s shareholders. He transferred recently, but I’ve heard good things about him," Nicholas said.

"Good things?"

"If I had to describe him, he’s somewhat like you, minus the... past lechery."

"...Really?"

"Well, maybe less talented, but you get the point."

Now that definitely wasn’t suspicious. I don’t think it’s outrageous to say that kid is out to get me.

Isn’t it?

I kept my eyes on the transfer student for a moment longer. He’d lost the tug-of-war but was laughing it off with his teammates, clapping one on the shoulder like they’d been friends for years.

If it was an act, it was a good one.

"Nicholas, I’m calling it here."

"Already? We’re only halfway through—"

"I have a bad feeling."

Nicholas followed my gaze toward the transfer student, then back to me, concern flickering across his face. He’d known me long enough now to trust my instincts.

"Alright. But you owe me an extra set tomorrow."

"Deal."

I walked toward Anna, and she rose from the bench immediately, falling into step beside me without being asked. Her hand found my arm, light but deliberate.

"You noticed him too?"

"Hard not to. He’s been stealing glances since Monday."

"He might just be curious about you. A lot of the new transfers are."

"Then why does it feel like he’s counting my steps?"

Anna’s lips thinned. She didn’t have an answer for that, which meant she’d noticed the same thing. Her grip on my arm tightened, and I caught the faint shimmer of light at her fingertip, a spell ready to flare the moment something threatened.

"Not yet, let’s give it more time."

"But Reyn..."

"Don’t worry, once I know he’s trouble, you’re free to do whatever."

"Okay~"

Did the bank already recognize Trish’s involvement? If so, did that mean they were starting to target me as someone close to her?

If so...

Maybe I could use this to finally engineer Trish’s snap.