Bully

- But I still don't understand ... Why do they think they are from our class, is there any evidence?

- ... Some who passed by the place where they found the unconscious students saw students wearing freshman R class uniforms passing by mocking and laughing about you-know-what ... although there are no cameras that recorded what happened, rumors started circulating because of that. - Ophelia explained.

- So there is no proof and the teachers or instructors don't impart to them what is going on ... are they being bribed? - Daniel asked.

- Maybe ... we don't know for sure, but some acquaintances I have are seeing about this issue ... however, we have no more clues than to distrust the repeating students ... besides, there is another rumor ...

Daniel and Renato paid attention to what the young woman would say.

- They say that it is not only those from our class who are involved in this issue, there are also those from other specialties who abuse other students.

That day passed with the intriguing scene found near the ARET amphitheater and rumors soon spread about the find and who had been the first to spot them.

Although ARET had a cleaning and security staff, it was understandable that they were not omnipresent to be everywhere; however, complaints about student safety from student organizations soon began to be heard.

 On the other hand, the infamy received by those in the R class who had no protection from the outside grew more and more; however, it seemed not to matter much to the repeating freshmen. It had all gotten to the point that the rest of the R students were beginning to be harassed by other students.

Inside a room in the Beltran mansion, a young man who was discovering the world of the internet through his smartphone began to think about something else.

- ... I feel like ... I'm forgetting something ... I already contacted Russel, I helped Emily and now I have to wait for my coffin to be brought from Loarre ... What am I forgetting? ... Ah, that's right! My notebook ...

Reaching inside his dresser, Aren pulled out a small nested notebook and, opening it, looked through the notes in it.

Things to do during the spring (1st Review).

Eat a tacoGo with Emily to the notary's office and sign the Sworn Brother contract.Visit Russell and ask him about the stone.Return to Loarre and see about getting my power back.(In 2 months)Find the strange flower at Emily's house.

- That's right... How could I forget... I must go buy a taco... and then go to where Emily lived... ... I must find that flower... but now that I think about it... Where was it that she lived... I will go and ask...

Leaving his phone on the bed, the young man left his room.

Coming out of his last class of the day, all those who belonged to the freshman R class were feeling depressed about the infamy of his reputation. However, a young red-haired girl armed with courage along with her group as well as Leandro with his people decided to put an end to these rumors.

- Are you sure you want to get involved in this, Leandro?

- Yes ... it is unheard of that these things are happening, no one of us confesses to be involved in this and there are rumors that students from other faculties are also involved, besides it seems that we are not the only ones who are tired of this. - answered the young man, referring to the young redhead, Anna Eleonor.

- Then we have to leave it to them. - answered another of the young men.

- No, if you had seen what we saw yesterday, you would be determined to put an end to all this.

- ...

- I support Leandro. - said Alexia.

- Anyway ... besides, classes are boring, maybe we will find something interesting in this. - said another young man with a shrewd look.

- Will you join us, Carlo? - asked Leandro.

- Of course.

All this was heard and seen by Liam and the rest, as well as the royal infanta and the other descendants of aristocrats belonging to the class.

Having agreed, the two groups began to review the scenes reported so far where those students were found and, as expected, those places were low traffic, hidden from public view and hidden from security cameras.

Although the idea was naïve, everyone took turns to check those places; however, for several days there was no trace of those cases.

Inside the living room of the Valdelomar residence, a heated conversation was taking place.

- Did they really think we wouldn't find out what they were planning! - exclaimed Victoria.

- ...

- Aren't they going to answer?

No one was talking.

- I think that's enough, mayor. I hope you have understood by now. Nobody leaves here until we get the news from the princess. - commented Lois who seemed calmer, but depressed at the same time.

- So, what do you answer?!

- W-We understand... - answered Lorenz, Eric, Lirio and Alexander as their plan for these dates was discovered.

Leaving the room, Lorenz and Eric looked menacingly at Alexander and Lirio.

- We told you not to talk carelessly, didn't we?

- ...

- We also warned them to act naturally, didn't we?

- ...

Swallowing their anger, Eric and Lorenz sighed.

- So, what do we do? - Eric asked.

- No way we can leave soon, Hayato will be watching us ... on the other hand, it seems that Thomas and the rest are recovering quickly ... - replied Lorenz.

- ¿Y ...?

- There are only three more weeks until they are discharged ... I think it is better to wait ... Besides Princess Lisbeth has not reported any progress or findings about the incident site ...

- ... Okay ...

Meanwhile, at the Beltran family residence, finishing lunch all together, Aren was somewhat pensive; this made him not even notice that he was being seen by Emily.

"Why would he have asked me what my life was like before we met ... Has he been interested in knowing something ... Or, perhaps, he is becoming more aware of his role as a now member of the Gutierrez family ... Well, whatever the case, I am happy that he is taking an interest in me ... I mean, that he is interested in the family he is now part of ... ... On the other hand, what is going on with Melissa? These days I've been noticing her a little... unsettled..."

On the other hand, Aren was also minding his own business.

"... Avenida de Movera ... 173 ... it used to be an old hacienda ... I wonder if they still have some horses ... Anyway, I must go to that place ... the question is when and how ..."

Understanding that neither Emily or Roger would direct him to that place nor give him money for the trip and not wanting to involve Melissa in his current condition or her servant, Russell, he left Aren with only one option.

- Hello, Glen. - said the young man while alone in his room with no one listening.

The next morning, Aren left early telling everyone that he was just going to the store for cigarettes, a technique taught by Glen only yesterday which Aren did not understand the meaning of.

Walking through the sprawling ARET campus at almost dark, five young men seemed to be patrolling the area.

- ... I thought this would be exciting ... now I think it's stupid. 

- Shut up, Carlo. - said Alexia.

- Come on, but I'm just telling the truth. Besides, I'm not the only one who thinks so, am I, Liam? - said Carlo.

- ... No comment.

- Anyway, what about your friends, why don't they come with us?

- They're studying ... they don't seem to be doing well in writing practice. - replied Liam.

- Oh yeah? Now that you mention it, they say they have been seen lately accompanied by the younger sister of the Duchess of Minerva.

- ...

- Enough, Carlo. - spoke Leandro.

- On the other hand, it seems that the victims are still not saying anything; we have even tried to give them incentives, but nothing helps. - Remus commented.

- So, don't you think we are searching in vain? How many days, or rather weeks, have already passed since we started? - commented Carlo sarcastically.

Whether out of annoyance or because it was the truth, no one responded. So far, there were still students being bullied, but there were no more extreme cases of finding unconscious students. Everyone knew that at least this had stopped, but not for long; the moment they stopped checking, it would happen again.

The student representatives had also done their part; but it was clear to both Leandro and Liam that this was just the calm before the storm.

While they were still walking vainly near the back court outside the sports center, Carlo inhaled, and then exclaimed.

- If nothing cool happens in less than 10 seconds, I swear they can go fuck their mother!

As that scream echoed, another sound soon followed.

 The creaking of a door of the sports center was heard letting us see a group of young people who were talking pleasantly among themselves.

By inertia, they all hid behind a wall.

- Hey... Why are we hiding? - asked Carlo.

- Can't you shut up? - replied Alexia.

- What? Why...?

Without finishing speaking, Carlo noticed Leandro, Remus and Liam staring at him. Those gazes were directed at the group of students who were leaving the sports center.

When they saw them leaving, they could tell that they were not students from the R class, but they were not relieved, because soon after they saw a group of students leaving behind them.

The appearance of the latter was one of fear and panic. Their gazes were always lowered, while those in front of them talked and laughed. In the hands of the three trembling young men wore dirty sports uniforms, it was as if they were servants of the laughers.

The worn and dirty clothes of one of the scrawny students became dirtier as he stumbled and fell on the sidewalk, dropping what he was carrying.

A derisive laugh was heard from the students who looked like jocks and no one, not even the weak group dared to pick up the fallen one.

- Listen ... tomorrow have our clothes cleaned and come and drop them off before 4 pm. - said one of the rough young men who ignored the student who was trying to get up.

They all nodded and each group went their separate ways.

- They are dead. - said Carlo with a smile full of rage who, seeing the whole scene, was ready to fight.

- No... they are not our targets. - said Leandro.

- What?! Isn't this what we've been looking for for days?!

- Listen to me first... what we'll do is follow the victims, the rest we'll leave to 'them'.

- Them?

- Look over there. - Liam said.

Hiding just like them, but among the vending machines placed a few meters away from that entrance, were two young men who were also watching everything that was happening.

- They are ...

As that vandalistic group moved away, that pair followed them without them noticing.

Without further discussion those five boys went after the abused.

It was already dark and the following had led them to the dormitories belonging to the faculty of biomedical engineering.

Entering the courtyard of the large eight-story high building, the young men could see those three depressed young men close to entering the building.

- Quick! Take off your uniforms! - whispered Leandro.

No one except Liam had understood the reason for that order and as they were slow to comply, Liam told them to stay hidden.

As they were about to enter the building, a voice stopped the three boys.

- Excuse me ... we are fourth cycle students and we are doing some surveys, could you give us some time, please? - Leandro said in an unusually soft and friendly voice.

- ... Who ... are you? - replied one of the young men.

- We are from the psychology faculty and we are conducting an anonymous student satisfaction survey.

- ... W-we're not interested.

Enter Liam, who also spoke.

- With the surveys completed, we will conduct a drawing with three prizes ... it won't take long. - spoke the young man with a boyish voice that went with his appearance, he had also removed his eye patch keeping his eye closed.

- No ... today is not ... a good time ... goodbye.

- ... Running away won't do you any good ... today is your chance to talk. - said that mature voice of Liam.

Everyone, both Leander and those hiding were surprised to hear him speak.

Turning around, the three young men saw something that frightened them. A golden colored eye with strange signs inside was what they beheld, even though they were almost a meter away.

- Y-You are a ...

- W-What do you want from us?

- Tell us exactly what's going on. - Liam said.

That pair who had followed the guys who came out of the sports center with airs of grandeur had reached one of the pavilions that were study halls where there was no one but them in the passages.

- Why did they come all this way? - said one of them.

- No idea, but we must inform Lady Anna.

As they stepped back and returned, the lights went out.

The two young men were surprised, but immediately ran out of the building.

Reaching the courtyard, they could see a group of people gathered around, two of whom were kneeling and crying.

- It's them! - they both muttered as they saw the scene.

As they got close enough, something that was unthinkable to them happened.

One of the kneeling students held out his hand pointing to the two approaching males.

- It's them...they were beating us since the afternoon. - said the victim.

- What?

As the two boys looked at the others around them, they noticed that they were students with worried and angry faces. Somehow, they didn't feel that they were the bullies they were looking for.

- Those clothes ... they're the R class! - exclaimed one of them.

- We knew, it was them after all!

- They're freshmen! Don't be afraid! Get them!

The pair were shocked and were slow to react. Then, although they tried to escape, they were soon caught and, although they had greater strength and endurance, they could do nothing against more than ten people who were after them.

On the other hand, the angry face of a young man for hearing the confessions of those three victims made Alexia, Remus and Carlo come out of their hiding place.

- So it was true ... I didn't think that big idiot would dare so much. - were Leandro's words.

- You can go now... we won't say anything about what we saw today until we solve this. - commented Liam to that group that went into their bedrooms.

That night passed, but the news of what happened in one of the wards did not take long to come out the next morning.