Bonds

Emily's voice carried a hint of defiance as she stepped forward, her protective instincts kicking in. "Who are you to question Alex's condition? We have legitimate concerns for his well-being, and you have no right to intrude like this."

Olana intervened, her voice calm and soothing. "Oswin, he isn't faking it, and he will be up and ready to train in no time. We understand your concerns, but it's essential to prioritize his recovery before pushing him back into training."

Oswin's anger flared, and he retorted, "I know he isn't faking it." After saying that, the pressure in the room increased, and he continued, "I wouldn't need to be concerned if you had been responsible with his training."

Olana, now with an angry posture, raised the pressure in the room and said, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Oswin, unafraid, looked at Olana and said, "You heard what I said. I have been training this boy for a week, and I know for a fact that he can endure a lot of training to get to this point. It's just irresponsible, and what makes me even angrier is that he is here while the others are okay."

Olana's anger intensified, and she replied fiercely, "I see Alex as a younger brother. I would gladly give my life to protect him. So I ask you one more time, behave yourself."

The Master swordsman looked at Olana, who was also a Master-ranked individual, and after ensuring that she meant what she said, he reluctantly acknowledged her words. "Very well, but mark my words, tomorrow after lunch, he better not be late to my class." With that, he turned to exit the room, leaving behind a lingering mix of annoyance and dissatisfaction in the air.

Before Oswin could leave, Alex mustered up the strength and said, "Thank you for your concern, I am okay," he said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude. Oswin paused, his anger temporarily subdued, and glanced back at Alex. Without uttering a word, he left the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Emily watched as Oswin stormed out of the room, her heart still racing from the tense encounter. She turned her attention back to Alex, who looked exhausted but relieved.

"Are you okay, Alex?" Emily asked, her voice filled with concern.

Alex nodded. "I'm fine, Emily. Just a little drained, but I'll be alright. Thank you for standing up for me, but Oswin was just worried. He just has a weird way of showing it."

Olana's expression softened as she spoke, her voice tinged with regret. "I know, Alex. Oswin was my senior in EIL, and he always had a tough exterior. But he wasn't entirely wrong. I was too careless, and for that, I'm sorry."

Alex looked at Olana, his gaze filled with understanding and empathy. "Don't be sorry, Olana. I know you're just trying to help me and the others to the best of your abilities. I trust you, and I know you would never do me wrong."

Just then, Dr. Parker, Emily's mother intervened, she had a small bottle and approached Alex. "Alex, you are okay for now, but to help with your recovery, I want you to take these supplements tomorrow when you wake up. If you ever feel bad or uncomfortable, come and visit me immediately."

Dr. Parker handed the supplements to Alex, who took them with a grateful nod. She then turned to Emily and said, "M, keep an eye on this one for me, okay?" Emily nodded, feeling a sense of responsibility wash over her, even though she had already been looking out for Alex.

After receiving Emily and Olana's support, they helped Alex make his way back home, ensuring he could rest and fully recover.

The next day, Alex woke up feeling refreshed and joined Jiten and Emily for teras anatomy class. Emily seemed just as preoccupied as she was the day before.

After lunch, Alex made his way to the sword arts class. However, when he arrived, he found only a group of girls present. They were engaged in conversation, and Samantha was among them, acting her usual noble self. It appeared they were discussing the upcoming end-of-year ceremony.

"Samantha, you are so lucky. All the senior and most popular guys have already asked you to go with them. How can you reject them all?" one of the girls in the circle remarked. Another girl chimed in, "Duhh, how can she accept them? Who would Max take if she was already taken?!?!"

Listening to the conversation, Samantha remained silent, her demeanor poised and composed. One of the girls then interjected, saying, "There's a rumor going around about Max inviting Emily Parker to go with him." Upon hearing this, Samantha frowned and asked, "Who told you that?" Feeling pressured by Samantha's direct questioning, the girl hesitated before answering, "Well, I heard the boys in my class talking about it." All the girls turned their attention back to Samantha, eagerly awaiting her response.

Samantha was taken aback by their assumptions. While she pretended to appear noble and unfazed, her mind raced at a thousand miles per hour, searching for a suitable response. Since the basic knowledge class yesterday, she hadn't spoken to Max about the ceremony, and she couldn't come up with a convincing answer.

Caught in this predicament, one of the girls spoke up, saying, "Samantha, for whom did you reject Max?" The others nodded, curious to know the truth.

Samantha was shocked at how they had drawn such a conclusion. While maintaining her facade of nobility and composure, she replied, "I guess you'll have to see for yourselves."

Before they could inquire further, other students started to arrive, including Max, who wore a serious expression. Shortly after, Oswin appeared and addressed the class, "Today, all of you will choose a partner and engage in a fight. The victor will receive an A, while the loser will receive an F." Upon hearing this, the students began searching for opponents they believed to be weaker.

For the first time since his arrival at EIL, Alex found himself in the spotlight. Even the girls tried to entice him into accepting their challenge. As Alex was surrounded by people, Oswin's voice cut through the commotion once again, "Alex Stern will partner with Samantha Williams." Instantly, all attention shifted to Alex, the atmosphere dissipating as quickly as it had arisen.

As the other students found their partners and the fights commenced, Alex and Samantha prepared to face each other once again.