The atmosphere inside Class S had shifted from chaotic movement into a strange, uneven calm, where clusters had already begun to solidify into tentative parties while a few stragglers still hovered uncertainly, looking for openings that no longer really existed, the earlier noise settling into quieter pockets of discussion as decisions were being locked in.
At the very back, Damon sat in the middle of the last row in a posture that could only be described as deliberately careless, his body laid back into the seat with his legs spread wide, one arm resting lazily along the back of the adjacent chair while the fingers of his other hand moved in slow, absent patterns, as though tracing thoughts that had yet to fully form, his gaze sweeping across the classroom with quiet calculation as he observed the shifting dynamics.
Beside him, Eric sat with a noticeably different energy, his posture far less relaxed as he leaned slightly toward Damon, his voice lowered but still carrying a mix of confusion and concern.
"Boss… why did you pick me for your party?" he asked, scratching his cheek awkwardly before continuing, "I mean, I understand I'm your only friend and that everyone else kind of… despises you, but still… I'm too weak, aren't I?"
Damon didn't even turn his head as he replied.
"Exactly."
Eric blinked.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Damon's fingers paused for a fraction of a second before resuming their idle movement, his eyes still fixed forward as his thoughts unfolded beneath the surface.
Exactly because you're weak… you can't pose a threat to me…
Which makes you the safest choice.
He didn't say any of that aloud.
Instead, he shifted slightly, his gaze narrowing just a bit as it settled on a particular group across the room.
"I want you to do one thing," he said calmly.
Eric straightened almost immediately, his earlier confusion replaced with eagerness as he leaned in closer.
"Just say it, boss!"
Following Damon's line of sight, Eric's eyes moved across the room until they landed on Lucian and Serena, the two of them standing close as they spoke, their interaction composed yet clearly aligned, while just a little to the side, Mira stood near them, her posture quieter, listening more than participating.
For a brief moment, Mira's eyes flickered toward Damon.
Then—
She quickly looked away again.
Damon's expression didn't change.
"I want you to spread a rumor," he said.
Eric's face lit up instantly, a grin spreading across it as if he had just been handed the perfect task.
"Ohh, now that's something I'm good at," he said with a short laugh, leaning in with clear enthusiasm, "what do you want me to spread, boss?"
As the initial rush of party formation began to settle, the effect of Valerian's newly imposed rule rippled through the classroom with immediate and visible consequences, breaking apart several groups that had just formed moments ago, forcing students to reassess their choices and scatter once again in search of viable combinations that fit the strict rank distribution.
The shift was not subtle.
It was disruptive.
Among those most visibly affected was Aelrion, whose composed demeanor had thinned into clear irritation as he now stood with only two fellow elves beside him, the rest having been forced away by the constraints, leaving him in a position that was far less advantageous than before.
On the other side of the room, Khaira seemed largely unfazed, having already gathered three beastmen around her along with a single human who stood awkwardly among them, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and resignation, as if he had been swept into the group with little say in the matter.
Lucian had quickly become a focal point for the commoners, several of them surrounding him in quiet attempts to align themselves with his strength, while Serena, by contrast, stood at the center of a cluster of nobles, their posture more composed but no less strategic as they evaluated their positions.
Among them stood a familiar face.
Celdric Beaumont.
Damon's gaze flickered toward him briefly from the back of the classroom, recognition passing through his eyes without lingering, before his attention returned to the broader movement unfolding across the room.
Then—
A murmur began to spread.
Soft at first ,almost indistinct.
But growing.
"Really…?"
"Did he actually say that…?"
The whispers moved quickly, passing from one student to another, subtle yet effective, and within moments, the atmosphere around Serena's group began to shift.
The nobles who had gathered around her exchanged brief glances, their composure faltering just slightly as uncertainty crept in, their eyes flicking toward Mira for the briefest of moments before they began to step back.
"I think… I can form another party…"
"You're too strong… you probably won't need me…"
Excuses.
Polite but hollow.
One by one, they distanced themselves, leaving the group without hesitation as they sought safer or more advantageous arrangements elsewhere.
In the span of less than a minute, what had been a solid formation dissolved entirely.
Only three remained.
Serena. Mira. And Celdric.
Serena's brows furrowed as she looked around, the sudden shift catching even her off guard as she turned toward Celdric.
"What's going on? What happened?"
Celdric's expression tightened slightly as he scanned the room, clearly piecing together the situation as it unfolded, his voice controlled as he replied.
"I'll ask around."
Without waiting further, he stepped away, moving through the classroom with purpose as he gathered fragments of conversation, bits of information that had already begun to circulate.
When he returned, his jaw was clenched.
His expression darker.
His eyes shifted briefly—Toward the back.
Before he spoke.
"That bastard…" he said under his breath, his tone edged with restrained anger, "he's making things difficult for Miss Mira here."
Serena's gaze shifted briefly toward the back of the classroom, and for a fleeting moment her eyes met Damon's, who, as if fully aware of her attention, allowed a faint smile to form before lifting his hand in a casual, almost mocking wave that carried just enough intent to make the gesture feel deliberate.
Her expression tightened slightly as she turned back.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her tone edged with restrained irritation.
Celdric answered without hesitation, his voice low but clear enough to carry weight.
"He's spreading that if anyone joins a party with Miss Mira, they will become a 'guest' of Damon Valecrest."
The words settled heavily.
Serena's fists clenched instantly, her posture stiffening as anger flickered openly across her face, while Mira, standing just beside her, instinctively glanced toward Damon before quickly looking back down, her unease only deepening.
"Does everyone think the Valmont Duchy lacks the power to stand equal to the Valecrest Duchy?" Serena said, her voice rising just enough to draw attention, the frustration beneath it no longer concealed.
Celdric let out a quiet breath, his composure remaining intact as he shook his head slightly.
"They're not afraid of the Valecrest Duchy," he replied calmly, his gaze steady, "they're afraid of Damon Valecrest."
For a brief second, silence followed.
Then—
Serena laughed.
A short, sharp sound that carried more disbelief than amusement.
"It seems they're taking me lightly, then," she said, her tone shifting as resolve replaced irritation, "gather all the nobles here."
The command was immediate.
Within moments, the nobles who had distanced themselves began to regroup, returning cautiously, their expressions uncertain as they formed a loose circle around her, their earlier confidence replaced with hesitation.
Serena looked at them directly.
"Are you all afraid of that man?" she asked, her voice steady but carrying a clear edge, "did you forget where we are? This is the academy, there are rules here."
One of the nobles hesitated before stepping forward slightly, his voice uneasy as he spoke.
"Do you think he cares about rules?" he said, glancing around briefly, "what happened after he beat Lucian… he came back as if nothing had happened."
As if summoned by the mention, Lucian himself stepped closer, his presence calm yet firm as he addressed Serena.
"If you would like, I can ask some of my commoner friends," he offered, his tone measured, attempting to ease the situation rather than escalate it.
Serena's fists tightened further at her sides as she looked back at the nobles, her voice dropping, colder now.
"Are you all not afraid of offending me?"
The question lingered.
Heavy and Uncomfortable.
The nobles exchanged glances among themselves, their hesitation becoming more apparent as they lowered their gazes, unwilling to meet her eyes directly, until one of them finally spoke, his voice strained.
"Many of us… even as nobles… are nothing compared to heirs of grand duchies," he said carefully, choosing his words with visible caution, "p-please don't put us on the spot like this."
The admission hung in the air.
Before Serena could respond—
Another voice broke through.
Soft. Shaking.
"C-can I say something?"
All eyes turned toward Mira.
She stood there, her posture small, her hands clenched lightly as her gaze remained lowered, her eyes trembling as she forced herself to speak.
"Y-you don't have to go through all this trouble because of me…"
"Mira—" Serena began, but Mira continued before she could be stopped.
"I-I will just join the young duke's party…" she said, her voice wavering but determined in its own fragile way, "a-and then all of you will be free…"
"No," Serena cut in immediately, her tone firm, leaving no room for negotiation, "you are not going anywhere near him."
Mira lifted her eyes slightly, looking at Serena with a mixture of hesitation and quiet resolve.
"Y-you don't have to worry… if I am gone… you and Sir Beaumont can be in the same party as well…"
Serena's fists clenched once more, the conflict in her expression tightening as she turned without another word and began walking toward the back of the classroom.
Serena walked straight through the shifting clusters of students until she arrived in front of Damon, her steps steady and unyielding, the nobles trailing behind her in a loose formation , while Damon, who had been leaning back in his seat with casual indifference, slowly straightened his posture, his left hand still resting behind the desk as he crossed one leg over the other and placed his free hand lightly over his knee, his gaze lifting to meet hers with quiet composure.
"You do realize this is a form of bullying, don't you?" Serena said, her tone controlled but edged with clear displeasure, "or do you want to get expelled again?"
Damon blinked once, as if genuinely puzzled, his expression shifting into mild curiosity rather than concern as he tilted his head slightly.
"Bullying? Me?" he replied, his voice calm and almost amused, "what exactly are you talking about?"
Serena's eyes narrowed.
"The things you've been spreading about Mira."
A soft "oh" escaped Damon as if something had just clicked into place, his lips curving faintly.
"That," he said, almost dismissively, "how is that bullying? There are already discussions of engagement between our families, so I merely stated that anyone joining Miss Mira's party would, in a sense, be my guest for taking care of her on my behalf."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted lazily to the side toward Eric.
"Isn't that right, Eric?"
Eric straightened immediately, nodding with exaggerated enthusiasm as if he had been waiting for the cue.
"Absolutely, boss, that's exactly what you said!"
The effect was immediate.
A murmur spread through the classroom once again, quieter than before but far more charged.
"Engagement…?"
"Valecrest's fiancée…?"
"We should stay away…"
The whispers moved quickly, reinforcing the hesitation that had already begun to form, and among them, Mira visibly flinched, her fingers tightening slightly as her lips parted, her voice barely audible.
"F-fiancée…?"
Serena drew in a slow breath, forcing down the irritation rising within her as she spoke again.
"Be done with your nonsense."
Damon's expression shifted just slightly, as though something had suddenly occurred to him, his tone lightening with a trace of mock realization.
"Oh my… now that I think about it," he said, his gaze settling back on her, "are you perhaps jealous of Miss Mira… that she's receiving so much of my attention?"
Serena stepped forward instantly, anger flickering openly across her face now.
"What nonsense are you—"
Before she could finish, Damon stood up.
The movement was abrupt enough that the nobles behind her instinctively took a step back, creating space without realizing it, as Damon closed the distance between them in a single step, leaning just enough for his voice to lower as he spoke near her ear.
"Or perhaps," he murmured, his tone dropping into something far sharper beneath the calm surface, "you simply don't want the Valecrest Duchy and Halewind County to form an alliance through marriage… hmm… that would indeed be quite disadvantageous for the Valmont Duchy, wouldn't it?"
Serena stiffened.
"You—"
But before she could respond further, Damon had already stepped back, the shift so smooth it felt almost deliberate, as though nothing of weight had just been said.
His attention moved past her.
Toward Mira.
A faint smile formed.
"Ahh… where were we before we were so rudely interrupted at the start of the class…?" he said lightly, as if recalling something pleasant rather than the tension that had just unfolded, "right…"
His gaze settled fully on her.
"Will you go to dinner with me, Miss Mira?"