Bad timing

Silas lowered his gaze after hearing the guards' words. He glanced at Vic in his arms before shifting his eyes back to the guards.

"Uhm... he, uhm, got into a fight. Yeah, he got into a fight with other high-graded students. Unfortunately, he was outnumbered, and they ended up beating him up. That's why he's like this," Silas explained, his voice steady despite the knots twisting in his stomach. He hoped desperately that they would buy it.

Luck seemed to be on his side, as the guards nodded their heads in understanding.

This wasn't the first time Vic had returned to the VIP section covered in blood. They were well aware of Vic's tendency to get into fights with other students. He also participated frequently in the ranking arena, where brutal, no-holds-barred battles often left him injured or even unconscious. The guards had grown accustomed to this routine, though their duty required them to ask about it every time just to be sure.