117 Infiltration 4

After the assembly was over, the 30 teachers guided the new students. Lia was excused as she was new to the academy herself and Lasso told her to get used to the timetable and familiarise herself with everything as tomorrow the sessions will start.

Lia already had to start her 1:1 with the students. After all, she had 315 students to take care of. The good thing was that the exams weren't until a week later, starting with the third year's first exam out of their last 4.

Zero was a first-year, so Lia didn't have to worry about him for now. The rest of the day, Lia could do as she pleased after she had learnt everything there was to the academy but Lia wanted to quickly meet up and check on Nana.

Fighting her way through the crowd, Lia picked out Nana and hid with her in an empty space.

"Lia!'' Nana hugged Lia and excitedly said, "It was so cool! There were ghosts everywhere but the examiners were amazed that I wasn't afraid of them! I mean I've lived next to ghosts my whole life so! So this isn't a problem! It was obvious they weren't real either! I mean, this is an academy so they can't let people without powers go up against ghosts! I did well, right? They don't know I've got powers!"

Whenever Nana was excited, she turned into a chatterbox. Lia patted her head, realising Nana was the older one but still said, "Yes, good job!"

Nana nodded energetically. Nana was after all like a newborn baby experiencing the world for the first time, so her excitement was reasonable. Also, Lia liked seeing Nana getting excited.

"How was it for you? Any difficulties??" but more often Nana's elder sister side showed through and she worryingly held Lia's hands.

"No problem, I just met someone troublesome and it's best to keep our distance from him."

"Who?" Nan was shocked to hear they might've already run into trouble.

Lia told Nana about her encounter with Timo.

"Oh no, really? What are the odds?"

Lia wanted to know it herself.

"How does he look?"

"Well, you'll know sooner or later, after all-" just on cue several loud fangirl screams appeared, "You probably see him constantly surrounded by his fans."

"Ohh!" Nana clapped her hand, "I remember! It was the extraordinarily handsome teacher on stage! Everyone whispered and admired him."

Lia wanted to cough blood. Extraordinarily handsome? Was appearance the only thing that mattered? But then again, Lia also fell for Min at first sight. Looks were still the most important factor, able to fool people, no matter how much people denied how appearances weren't crucial.

"I'll be starting to talk to the students and find the person we're looking for, so you can just focus on studying and work on your powers."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine. Also they've changed the date regulations. Apparently you'll be getting your powers in a week. Don't forget not to take the pill."

"Yep, don't worry! It's going to be fine! I'm going to move with others! Live in a dorm!"

Lia didn't know what kind of complications would arrive once Nana also absorbed Min's power. Whatever the result was, it wouldn't be a good one.

"Have fun," was the only thing Lia could tell Nana. Even though they were in the enemy's place, it was still a good experience for Nana to witness different aspects of life herself. For better or worse.

After Nana excitingly told Lia everything she had on her heart, they parted. Lia went to scout the other buildings before returning to the dorm.

Her room was on the 7th floor, the highest. Each floor housed 4-5 rooms. Only the 7th floor, had 2 rooms and as much as it came to Lia's luck….

It was only that much.

"Oh, so you're my neighbour."

The dorm was marbled and a grand lift reached the 7th floor that was white and polished like a pearl with several plants decorating the hallway.

One door at each end of the floor signalised the two rooms. The lift was right between the rooms and from the left door, Timo just came out and nodded at Lia.

Of course, Timo would get special treatment, so was Lia also getting the treatment because Maria recommended her? Lia felt exhausted having to think about the tiring act she had to constantly put up when meeting Timo.

"I didn't know we're living so close! I'm sorry!" Lia acted nervous and bowed. Timo looked at her bored, "It's fine. I'm not bothered there's nothing to apologise for."

At least he was decent, Lia internally rolled her eyes. She wanted to leave when Timo leaned against the wall, looking at her, all signs pointing towards wanting to continue the conversation.

"I've heard you've been recommended."

Lia cursed but then smiled and nodded excited.

"By Maria?"

Lia nodded again but couldn't mistake the brief soft expression and gentle tone Timo held when he said her name. Was there some kind of relationship between them?

"What's your relationship with her?" but instead Timo asked her this question. Lia knew sooner or later someone was going to ask how she's been recommended. Yet she didn't put much thought into it and now had to come up with an excuse. But Timo seemed to be friendly towards Maria, so Lia used the strategy to distract him from the topic.

"Maria's really nice! She's a literal angel and she's so beautiful," Lia made sure her expression was genuinely expressing admiration and her tone conveyed her sincerity.

"She's helped me a lot and I can't thank her enough!" Lia glanced at Timo and her suspicions turned out to be true. A tender glint appeared in Timo's eyes and a slight curve graced his lips.

"She is," Timo pushed himself off the wall, "I'll see you later."

"Yes! Yes!" Lia waved him goodbye as he took the lift and left but inside she hoped she wouldn't meet him again. She needed to learn his schedule to avoid any more collisions like today.

Also, what in the world did Maria do to make this dead fish, a literal commander, turn alive for her?

Lia walked to her room and entered the penthouse-like-apartment that unfolded before her. Kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom. Everything was there and everything was luxurious. The best part was the immense window that took up a whole side of the wall, letting light flood in.

Lia fell onto the sofa and gripped her chest. Since she crawled her way from the damned abyss, she has constantly acted to get her revenge. Then along the way meeting the hidden families, Lia has returned to her previous self bit by bit and got used to it.

But now she had to act again. The slightest mistake would lead to suspicion. And this suspicion would inevitably become her doom.

But the beating in her chest, the quick pondering against her rib cage, the intense vibration in her head put a dangerous and cold glint in her eyes. Only lasting for a second.

She was back in the capital and would stay for a while. Close, very close to where Min was. The academy was around 15 minutes away from the palace by foot.

If Lia leapt from the roof here and made her way to the palace, she could gouge out Min's heart, bawl out his eyes and tear off every part of his skin. Slowly and gruesomely.

But she couldn't. The anger and rage that she thought she was afraid of disappearing came back in full force and Lia tried hard to control it.

It still wasn't time. Everything had to go according to the plan. Lia couldn't act on impulse now and destroy everything. But soon.

Very soon, everything Min did to her, all these years of suffering, it will all come back haunting him in the worst way possible. It was still only the beginning of the end.