Edelweiss

"They said they will let us do the presentation..... in three months. Allowing us to prepare." Professor Vyrill frowned. "We're already prepared."

"Well, we cannot really push them any further. They have already agreed and they believe that's enough." Ronin said.

They were currently bisecting a frog to observe if there were any effects in the internal organs, but just as a routine check. This frog has already been dissected several times and its wounds healed from constant electric therapy.

"Say, Professor. If someone's limbs have been cut off, or an organ was missing, the electric therapy would not be enough to regenerate it, right?" Ronin asked.

"Yes. Not immediately, at least. But the electrolytes from Maellan's blessed lightning cause regeneration to go faster. Potentially, a severed finger may take about a year to go back."

"I see. What about a human with many broken bones? How much do you estimate the speed of regeneration would be compared to traditional healing?"

"Traditional healing would mend the bones for about a year. Ours can do it in a few months." Professor Vyrill said. "Why? Was this about that team captain from Warriors?"

"So you have heard, Professor." Ronin nodded.

"You have to be more careful nowadays, Ronin. It was not the first time in the history of the Academy that attacks like that happen to students, and it is commonly inflicted by other students."

He handed the tweezers so Ronin could poke and prod the frog himself. "You are in a more precarious position for these kinds of attacks because of your Commoner status."

"I know, Professor." Ronin pulled on a piece of the frog without hesitation.

"Thankfully, we have this electric therapy machine to cure you if anything happens, but I would much rather you are not injured at all. You are much luckier than that team captain."

Ronin chuckled. "Indeed. It was really a pity that only the two of us knows this exists, and it's the Council to blame."

"But you don't need to worry, Professor. Just because I happen to be weak in physique...."

He had pulled too much flesh from the frog, causing blood to spatter all over his face.

"Doesn't mean I'm as fragile as this frog at all."

----------------------------

Ronin had overheard Pavone and Rabuka arguing at their usual table in the Banquet Palace. Zeriav had smartly decided not to interfere, perhaps used to this already.

Cermin was still in suspension, and he was actually the reason for their argument.

"You heard the Councillor, darling. She assured us that Cermin was innocent." Rabuka insisted. "She has the power to make everyone speak the truth, of all people, we should trust her."

"Then what about Volken's statement?" Pavone countered. "He speaks the truth too. And it was him who we're originally friends with. He should be the one we're siding with more, and he needs us now more than ever."

"So? Volken poisoned someone because he was afraid of having his crown as Gridiron King be taken from him." Rabuka rolled her eyes. "He reaped what he sows."

"Why must you defend Cermin?" Pavone narrowed his eyes. "If we reaped what we sow, then that means we should also suffer something similar to Volken because we're all just befriending him to be of use to us, have we not?"

"Or have you already forgotten that and developed more feelings for him beyond business?"

Rabuka was aghast. "Of course not! All I'm saying is that we can't cut our ties with Cermin now just because of Volken's mistake!"

Ronin ate happily listening to this bickering, the gears in his mind rolling as he decide how to deal with these three next.

He would obviously target either of this couple first, as Zeriav was taking this situation calmly and had not much crack in his walls yet.

He went back to the classroom for his next period, History class. The professor mentioned that he would be announcing a new major partner project, and Ronin already expected that no one would partner with him.

There are 19 students after all, and he was the newcomer, not to mention the---

"Look, it's the freak." One classmate sneered when he got inside. "Those eyes really freak me out, I bet they come from the Abyss."

Another smacked the back of his head and they both laughed.

Ronin ignored them.

Actually, this was not the first time he received petty and childish verbal and physical abuse from his classmates while the teachers were not around.

"Can you boys stay quiet? We're studying here." A stern voice from one of the two women classmates said, one with Opal skin.

"A freak defends another freak. Just mind your own business, Sea Witch." The one that smacked Ronin retorted.

Ronin just sat on his chair and did not give any of them the time of the day. His cold, apathetic dark eyes were intimidating and would make one shiver.

The bully's face contorted in both disgust and annoyance. "Those eyes... I really had enough of them. By the gods, I just want to gauge them out!"

Ronin just mumbled, as he turned to the window disinterestedly. "Go ahead and try."

"What did you say?" The bully kicked his old, rickety chair.

"I said you can go ahead and try if it truly displeases you."

After all, he was just bluffing. After the news about Volken, the Council had become more on-guard when it comes to student violence. Acting recklessly would bring consequences----

(I've had enough of this smug Commoner!) Ronin heard, as this man took a dart, possibly his Mage Focus---

And threw it with accurate precision and speed towards Ronin's eyes!

Ronin had quick reflexes, but this speed was from a Mage Focus after all, and he has no way of dodging it even if he tried. It may even follow him even if he turned his head.

He was prepared to lose his eyes and eventually shock everyone when he gets it healed---

Snap!

It was the sound of crab hands. Snapping together.

A crab hand snapped the dart on time. The crab just appeared in thin air at the right moment.

"You boys have become more and more unreasonable." The girl with Opal Heartstone said. "If you insist on making trouble, forget about being a Scholar and go be some brainless scoundrel in Warriors."

She took the crab in her hand and let it walk towards her shoulder. Then---

"AHHHHHH!!!!!" The bully who threw the dart screamed, as round objects grew on the side of his face, getting bigger and bigger like pustules.

But they were not pustules. They were barnacles, the menace of the sea that was usually found clinging on the side of boats and ships.

The other girl beside her whispered nervously. "Edelweiss, we shouldn't get in trouble with the boys. They might get back at us."

"Let them go ahead and try. We passed the Triannum just like all of them, have we not?" Edelweiss said, as she snapped her fingers and the barnacles disappeared.

Ronin sensed something. A character would not be given this much relevance and personality if she wasn't someone recurring or important to the story.

He eyed this Edelweiss carefully as the teacher appeared, and the boys went back to their chairs.

There was a strong suspicion in his heart....

That she was not just a normal character. She may be a----

"Has everyone paired up for the next project?" The teacher asked as he entered the door.

Unexpectedly, Edelweiss turned to him.

"Do you have a partner already?"