9 Get Away From Me

"Woah!"

Aranea, Elenea, and Vayne widened their eyes when they saw that the Simurgh that chased them was caught on fire.

It screeched at the top of its lungs then fell on the ground, making the three look at the student who helped them.

Behind them, they saw another Garuda with three students on it as well. The one in front, however, had red hair with red eyes that paired it, making him look like an extraordinary person. He looked exceptionally handsome as well!

"Vayne," Aranea called his attention. "Who is that guy?"

Vayne rolled his eyes at Aranea. He scoffed as well, making the two girls look at him. It made them wonder why he seemed to be annoyed.

"Oh, that's Zann Scarlet." There was irritation in his voice. "He's one of the best students with the best magic, which is fire. On top of that, he is—"

"Ah! Zann's here!"

"He may be cold but he is so hot!"

"Yeah, like his fire magic!"

"Why is he so cold like ice, though?"

"Zann! Notice me!"

Hearing how the girls swooned, Vayne rolled his eyes once more. The girls now understood what he's going to say next.

Apparently, Zann is a popular guy in the academy.

The Garudas landed safely on the ground, making the students gather in the middle of the ground.

The moment they have already clustered together, Gertrude Mayfair walked to the middle, making the students make a space for her.

"Aranea and Elenea Griffin. Vayne Woode, and Zann Scarlet." Hearing their names, the students silenced, waiting expectantly for what is going to happen. "The students called, please move forward. Now."

The students started murmuring when they heard the urgency in Gertrude's voice. The students who were called walked in the middle of the circle, leaving Gertrude and the four students called in front of them as if they were watching a scene.

"Why were they called?"

"Probably because of the fight with a Simurgh."

"Hey, those two students aren't familiar."

"Obviously freshmen students."

"Hey that poor boy Vayne is with them."

"I don't care about that! Why is my dear Zann involved?"

"Oh, duh! He helped them! Without him, the three might be done for!"

Hearing the chit chats of the students around them, Professor Gertrude shouted, a complete opposite to her calm demeanor.

"Everyone should enter the academy right now! Quickly!"

The students groaned the moment they heard her instruction. They were interested to listen to why the specific students were called that's why the groans of complaints were heard, making Gertrude furrow her brows.

"To those who would do otherwise, freshmen will immediately get demerits and the higher ups will have their ranks lessened."

With Professor Gertrude's threat, the students rushed inside, leaving her with the students she held back. With a snap of the professor's fingers, a frog appeared right before her, making Aranea and Elenea's eyes widen in amusement.

"Croak! What is it, Gertrude? Croak!"

Aranea and Elenea looked at each other then back at the frog. They blinked their eyes a few times as both of them recalled at the same time the speaking animal that talked to them on the bus.

'First a talking duck... now a talking frog?'

"Fred," Gertrude called the frog. "I want you to watch over the entrance of the academy to see if there are students violating the rules off the bat."

"Croak!" Fres jumped then spoke, "I shall do so, Gertrude! Croak!"

Suddenly, the small frog became a large frog as big as the academy. Aranea and Elenea's mouths were agape as they stared at the frog.

"Woah, that's amazing," Aranea commented, making Zann beside her scoff.

"Whatever."

Hearing him suddenly speak, the three students looked at him.

"You saved us from the Simurgh, right?" Aranea asked, making Zann look at her nonchalantly. "Thank you so much for the help," she thanked him, making him arch a brow at him.

"I never meant to help. It seems that you can't defeat a simple beast such as a Simurgh so I jumped in to not make it worse for you guys."

"Ha?"

Aranea felt annoyance seeing how arrogant Zann is. She puffed her cheeks as she crossed her arms in front of her chest then looked at her front as she mumbled to herself.

"What a jerk!"

But it was enough for Zann to hear. A smirk crept on his face then he spoke with the intent for the others, especially for Aranea to hear.

"And you're weak. Remember that."

"You—"

"The four of you."

Gertrude had interrupted, sensing that the two are starting to bicker. She sighed, then the four students looked at her expectantly, wondering why they were called to stay behind.

"The four of you are seen attacking a Simurgh. Care to explain what had happened?"

"Professor Gertrude," Vayne spoke the moment the professor asked them a question. "Our Garuda is safely flying to the academy but then when we heard a screech, our ride stopped as it felt threatened."

Hearing this, Professor Gertrude raised a brow. She has been welcoming the students every year. She had been doing this for such a long time, it is the first time she encountered a beast attacking their students.

"Did you three foolishly threaten a Simurgh flying?"

Aranea's eyes widened to have heard the question as if they are being accused.

"P-professor, excuse me, but we aren't provoking any beast! My sister herself is already afraid of the Garuda we're riding on. Why would we threaten a Simurgh?"

Gertrude looked at the three students and found what Aranea had said reasonable.

Both her and Elenea are freshmen students. Knowing Vayne who is currently a second year student with a slightly cowardly personality, Gertrude couldn't see him to threaten a beast as well.

Sighing, the professor shook her head as a thought flashed in her mind.

What could possibly be the reason why a Simurgh acted this way?

This only happened when the two students appeared, Aranea and Elenea.

But then again, the professor thought that she should not jump to conclusions. It may have been a coincidence after all since there are other freshmen students as well.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, the professor looked at Zann who was standing beside the three students.

"Luckily Zann is around to see what have happened. However, that is out of sheer luck. What if you hit another target, Zann? Watch over your control since your magic can be dangerous."

Hearing the professor's warning, Zann internally rolled his eyes then only nodded to acknowledge what she said.

"Yes, Professor..."

Professor Gertrude gave them a small smile.

"Now enter the academy. In a moment once all the students are gathered, the assembly will begin."

With that, the four students started walking up the stairs. When Fred the Frog saw them walking up, he made way for them to pass through the big door.

"Hey... Zann, wait up!"

Hearing an unknown person call his name, he stopped in his tracks then narrowed his eyes at her.

"Who told you to say my name comfortably?"

"Ha!" Aranea crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I just called out so we could stay together since it is the first day of classes, you know? Even though you're such an arse!"

"Oh, whatever. You guys should just—"

"Don't you get the cold shoulder? He doesn't want to be with us, Aranea!"

"Oh!" Aranea turned her back to look at her sister and Vayne. "Yeah, but..."

"Don't bother him, Aranea," Elenea said, making Aranea nod at them slowly.

When Vayne spoke a name that was familiar to him, Zann suddenly stopped talking. He then looked at the girl who was in front of him, and started scanning her from head to toe.

'That long straight red hair... that green eyes... could she be the same person? Or a different one?'

Zann narrowed his eyes as Aranea looked back to look at him, the other two students with her stopping behind her as they reached her.

"What?"

"Are you... really Aranea Griffin?"

Aranea raised a brow at him as if he said something stupid.

"Is there another Aranea Griffin in the academy?"

Ignoring her question, Zann spoke to ask another one.

"Do you live in the orphanage?"

Aranea and Elenea looked at each other.

How could he know when they don't know who he is?

"Er, yeah... why?"

When she had confirmed it, a red glow appeared on Zann's forehead, giving him a headache.

"Argh!"

"Zann?"

Zann fell on his knees as he felt an unbearable pain in his head. He held it with both of his hands, making the students kneel down to assess him.

As Professor Gertrude was walking and saw them in such a situation, her eyes widened in worry then rushed to them, holding Zann's back with concern.

"Zann, what's wrong?"

"Zann?"

As Aranea was about to touch him, he harshly slapped her hand away, stood up, then walked away after saying his last words.

"Get away from me."