Maystra Brothers

"!"

He opened his eyes abruptly.

The first thing he saw was a white ceiling.

"The infirmary...?"

"Oh, looks like you're awake now."

"?"

He turned his face in the direction of the person talking to him.

"Mika Elbar...."

"How are you feeling, Belian?"

Belian was currently lying in a bed in the academy's infirmary.

When he lifted his upper body up, his well-trained body was on full display.

However, it was covered in multiple bandages.

"Don't move so much yet." Mika suggested.

He was sitting on a chair next to Belian's bed.

"What about the girls?" Belian asked.

In response, Mika looked at the other side of Belian's bed.

Curtains split them from each other, but from the shadows, one can tell, that there were other patients.

"They are still lying in their beds. You're the first to wake up." Mika explained.

"I see." Belian muttered as he clenched the sheet of the bed tightly.

"..."

Compared to the others, Mika was barely injured.

"You should thank this boy! After all, he was carrying all of you to the infirmary!"

In a happy-go-lucky tone, a woman with wavy and long golden hair and round light blue eyes appeared beside Mika while she patted his head.

"Ms. Werensten?"

"Could you please take your hands off me?" Mika asked irritated as he slapped her hand away from him.

"Jeez, you are no fun..." she pouted like a child.

Cindy Werensten.

Despite having the looks of a beautiful young woman, she still acted like a young girl.

She mainly acted as the first-year red class' teacher, but outside of that she also held the position of the academy's nurse.

Thus, she was wearing a white gown, which hid her white buttoned shirt and her black mini skirt paired with black tights beneath it.

"..."

Belian still had frustration all written over his usually calm face.

Then, Cindy let out a sigh.

"Xander Maystra, huh..."

Even though she was normally giving the vibes of an irresponsible adult, she turned serious for a moment.

"What happened between the two?" Mika asked Belian.

"I... I don't know. He just approached me and challenged me to a fight."

"That's it?"

Mika was baffled.

He thought there was a profound reason, but it seemed like Xander's actions were still not comprehensible to anyone.

"What a troublesome kid... I suppose I know the reason." Cindy remarked with a tired expression with her fingers rubbing her forehead.

"?"

"Since you're enrolled here, most of the students call you the strongest student, right Belian?"

"Do they?" he wondered honestly with an aloof expression.

"Yes, they do." Mika answered for him.

"Well, if there's one thing I can guarantee you, then it would be the fact that he is someone who takes a lot of pride in his strength."

"Wait... Does that mean that he attacked him because Belian was titled the strongest?" Mika deducted.

"Yes, since he was young, Xander was always on the top amongst his peers. Hearing that a first-year was the strongest must have infuriated him."

"I see..." Belian said.

Mika looked at Belian's bandages.

"Are you still feeling pain from our match?" Mika asked sternly.

"Match? Huh? You two? Wait, what?"

Cindy was genuinely shocked when she heard that students from the black and white classes were fighting.

"This will definitely shock Ophelia if she hears that!"

While Cindy was still reacting hysterically to that piece of information, the two boys were exchanging stares at each other.

However, Belian then slightly averted his gaze as he tried to hide the truth.

"I understand..."

Mika's sharp eyes drooped a bit.

"It's all on me so don't feel guilty." Belian stated with his eyes still being averted from Mika.

"Belian..."

"What a nice thing to say..." Cindy commented moved.

"!"

Mika flinched when Cindy suddenly appeared beside him again.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

With her upper body bent to the front, Mika was able to catch a small glimpse at her cleavage, which not even her shirt could hide.

"N-nothing!" he said flustered.

He stood up.

"A-anyways... It's getting late so I will take my leave for now!" Mika stated with faintly blushing cheeks.

"Sure..." Belian replied confused.

"See you soon, Mika!" Cindy said as she smilingly waved her hand.

"Why are all the teachers I've met until now so weird...?" he whispered to himself before he left the infirmary.

The next morning.

"So the upperclassmen are back, huh?" Gerard said pensively.

"Yeah."

Gerard and Mika were walking to the academy together.

On their way, Mika briefed Gerard about yesterday's incident with Xander.

"Man, those two brothers sure are pieces of work."

"That's true..." Mika let out a sigh.

Not wanting to ruin their beautiful and peaceful morning, the two changed the topic.

"Putting those brothers aside, have you found a suitable quest for your team?" Mika asked.

"Concerning that-"

"Good morning!"

Before he could finish his phrase, someone called them out from behind.

The two naturally turned their neck and saw Lily and Sylvia walking towards them.

"Oh, morning, you two."

"Morning, Mr. I-will-leave-the-infirmary-before-my-friends-wake-up." Sylvia greeted him with a cold smirk.

Mika understood exactly what she meant.

"I-I'm sorry..." he apologized awkwardly.

"H-hey, Sylvia..."

Lily nudged her with her elbow.

"Just kidding. After all, you carried us, right? So let us offer our thanks to you." Sylvia said with a genuine and yet faint smile.

"Yes, thank you!" Lily added.

Mika lightly heaved a sigh of relief.

He thought that they would really hold it against him for leaving yesterday without waiting for them to wake up.

"You're welcome." he replied with a gentle smile.

They were not alone.

"So this is your team, Mika?" Gerard meddled in

"Oh, that's right. Let me introduce-"

"We will do it ourselves this time." Sylvia cut Mika off.

"My name is Sylvia Pyril and I'm a student of the white class." she said stoically.

"And I'm Lily Hayth from the red class. Nice to meet you!" Lily introduced herself energetically.

"Nice to meet you two! I heard a lot about you from him. I'm Gerard Armwright! Silver class, by the way!" he stated as he proudly pointed at his chest with his thumb.

"Oh? What did he say about us?" Sylvia asked.

However, instead of curiosity, it sounded more threatening.

"Well, for example, he said that-"

"Aaaand that's enough for now! Shouldn't we rather hurry up and go to the academy?" Mika suggested nervously as he silenced Gerard by putting his hand on Gerard's mouth.

"Tch." she clicked her tongue.

Thus, the group of four walked together to the academy.

But when they arrived at the entrance, they encountered two other familiar people.

"Ugh..." Mika groaned in disgust.

Arriving simultaneously were the Maystra brothers.

Cail was the first to notice them as he looked equally disgusted at Mika.

"What's wrong, Cail?" Xander wondered before he also realized.

"Oh, it's you again." he added with a cocky grin.

Lily and Sylvia were nervous and stiffened up, which was not surprising considering how easily Xander wiped the floor with them.

"So you're still alive, huh?"

Cail was the first to make his way to them.

"Hm? Why are you so surprised?"

Mika also moved towards the middle and confronted Cail.

"Have you looked into the mirror? You're from the damn black class! So how could you come out alive from the quest?"

"Are you perhaps envious? Or are you feeling insecure after seeing me clearing that quest?"

Rubbing their foreheads at each other, the two unleashed their annoyance towards the other.

Since the day they met, they were on bad terms.

"Hey, Mika-"

Sylvia tried to stop Mika, but another person stepped in.

"?"

Mika felt a hand touching his shoulder and pulling him back softly.

"You are..."

Cail's eyes widened after he recognized the person.

"Xander."

The person, whose clean white uniform and coat shone as brightly as ever, stepped towards Xander, who seemed unfazed by his presence.

Pointing to him with a finger, the person stated the following.

"I, Belian Ziva, challenge you, Xander Maystra, to an official match."

"..."

Xander's smirk vanished.

"?!"

Everyone was shocked.

"Hold on! Do you know whom you're talking to, Belian?!"

The first to meddle was Cail.

"Do you really think that he would spare time for someone like you?" Cail said as if he was personally offended.

"..."

In return, Belian just stared at Cail before he turned to Mika.

"Who is he?"

"Pfftt! Hahaha!"

Mika burst into laughter hearing Belian's question.

"How dare you..."

Cail gritted his teeth enraged while clenching his fists.

"What is your answer, Xander?" blatantly ignoring Cail, Belian asked again.

"I..."

As he opened his mouth, the conversation between Cail and Mika was still heard loudly.

"Stop laughing, you imbecile!"

"Hahaha, sorry but I can't help it, Mr. Nobody!"

Xander looked at the two sharply.

"Heh..."

He spread his arms while grinning as slyly as ever.

"How about this, Belian?"

Cail and Mika stopped talking and listened to what he had to say.

"My stupid little brother and I against you and that bottom-feeder over there."