📖 CHAPTER 4 — "First Incident"
The assembly had ended.
Classes had been assigned.
Students moved through the halls, settling into what should have been a normal day.
Lily sat at her desk.
Quiet.
Observing.
Nothing about this place felt normal.
"Looks like we're in the same class."
She looked up.
Derek stood beside her.
Relaxed.
Casual.
"…Yes," Lily replied.
"It seems that way."
Her eyes lingered on him.
Studying.
Derek noticed.
Immediately.
"…Hmm."
He tilted his head slightly.
"I can see why Leo's interested in you."
Lily's gaze sharpened.
"…Leo?"
How did he—
Derek chuckled.
"You're wondering how I noticed, right?"
He leaned slightly closer.
"Simple."
"I've spent so much time with Leo…"
A small pause.
"That kind of thing becomes obvious."
Lily didn't respond.
Derek straightened.
"You're cool, though," he added casually.
Then—
"What were you talking about with him?"
He scratched the back of his head.
"I've never really seen him talk to someone like that before."
"He usually doesn't care."
Lily paused for a moment.
"…He met me about a project."
Derek blinked.
"A project?"
"What kind of project?"
Before she could answer—
A loud noise echoed from outside the classroom.
A crash.
Then voices.
"Hey—did you hear that?!"
"Logan's picking a fight!"
"With Leo!"
Both Lily and Derek turned their heads.
Lily remained seated.
Unbothered.
Of course…
Derek sighed.
"…Yeah."
"I didn't think it'd take this long."
Lily glanced at him.
"…Why?"
Derek shrugged slightly.
"Well…"
"Ever since we were kids…"
"No matter what club Leo joined…"
"He always quit after five days."
Lily listened.
Silently.
"Kendo. Judo. Martial arts. Taekwondo. Running…"
Derek exhaled.
"It didn't matter."
"He was good at all of them."
A small pause.
"Not because he tried…"
"…it just came naturally to him."
Lily's eyes narrowed slightly.
That explains it…
His movements…
His timing…
They weren't random.
"They were calculated."
Derek continued.
"But the weird part is…"
"I've seen him after he quits."
He looked ahead.
Thinking.
"And it always feels like…"
"…that's when he's actually at his best."
Silence.
Lily processed that.
"…What about swordsmanship?" she asked.
Derek blinked.
"…Swordsmanship?"
He frowned slightly.
"That's a strange one."
"Where would he even learn something like that?"
Lily looked away slightly.
"…Nothing advanced."
"…Just basic."
Before Derek could respond—
A loud crash echoed again.
Then—
A body was sent flying through the hallway wall.
Dust scattered.
Students screamed.
"…Get potions!"
"…Someone call a teacher!"
Logan—the errant hunter's son—
Landed hard.
Broken.
Silence.
Derek stared.
"…Well."
"I didn't expect it to go that far."
He sighed.
"Please excuse me."
"I need to go grab our idiot."
He walked off toward the scene.
Lily remained where she was.
Watching.
Thinking.
So that's how he fights… even here.
A small pause.
"…That's good to know."
Her gaze lowered slightly.
"…in a way."