CHAPTER 9: MAKING A CONNECTION

THIRD PERSON POV

"your offer is indeed tempting, if you're the one who's backing at me, it will surely my win however.. I have to decline your invitation."

"..oh?"

Damion gasped in surprise when Crystalle rejected his offer to serve as his secretary. He scowled at her, and when she saw his confusion, she gave him a simple smile.

"if I recall correctly, there are no rules requiring everyone to participate in the election, so I won't vote. As much as I can, I wanted to be neutral between you and the other parties who want to run for student council election, in other words, I won't participate in election."

When he heard Crystalle responded to him, Damion's expression became grave.

"Surely you know my personality, Mr. President. I don't want to battle someone that I know I won't win and more superior to me, so I hope you understand my decision. even so, if you need my help, then I'll gladly take it, as long as it's not about politics or power."

What Crystalle says is only partially true; the former is a deception, while the latter is the truth. She just told him that voluntarily so Damion won't bring up the subject of the student council election any longer. After all, she believed herself to be significantly superior to the other students here, furthermore..

She already knows who she will back; it is someone she can influence freely to establish a connection within the academy and someone who has no choice but to carry out her plan. She has been considering the potential students she can put in the student council as her "observers" ever since Damion brought up the subject of the approaching election!

While this was going on, Damion was just staring at her, lost in thought. 'She is certainly a careful and cautious type of person. I couldn't understand what's on her mind at all, but all I can say is that, she probably planning something big in the election that I didn't know. If there's nothing, then why would she decline the opportunity that I give her?' he thought.

a position in student council is one of the students dying to get, let alone the secretary position who just next to vice-president. if you become part of the student council, you will be able to have a chance to become part of the supreme 10, plus, I'm the one backing her, it's a win-win situation, so I can't find any reason for her to decline it, unless if..

She has something in mind that will help her develop connections at the institution that will be more beneficial to her than my offer; after all, she couldn't survive here without a strong network and position of power.'

Damion sighed and quickly checked his watch, then abruptly ended their meeting when he realized they would be late for the following class.

A slight smirk appears on Damion's lips as he looks at Crystalle and says, "I have so much joy talking with you, to think you will deny my offer, I feel like I've been rejected." The gate was still open; which is why, I won't withdraw my invitation for you to work as my secretary.

"Sure." After that, they both smile at each other as if they were hinting at something. Crystalle then helped him carry the remaining folders as they made their way to the door. When they opened it, Rheyne and Chauncey's faces were revealed to them as they dropped to the ground, causing them to scowl.

when rheyne and Chauncey notice them go out, both of them just stand up quickly and avoid their gaze while whistling.

"the hell are you doing..?"

"n-none.. nothing at all."

"heh.." damion just nudge the bridge of his eyeglasses with a small grin on his lips enough for them to feel chill down to their spine, damion Cross his arms and give them a cold and looking down glance as though he was the king.

"You.. isn't it rude to peek at someone's conversation? since when did you two become gossipers?"

"..." just as damion was about to hold them, they both run as quickly as they could and in just a seconds they can't be seen anymore. for the second time, damion let out a sigh again.

" we should go back."

"..yeah."

...

Due to their busy schedules, class zero was unable to meet in the afternoon. Keir was in the art room, zepphyr and Jotaro were sleeping in the villa, and Rohan was busy "harvesting" some points. Damion and Chauncey were assisting the student council with upcoming events while Alexandra and Rheyne were in their drama club rehearsing their scene for an upcoming theater performance.

One the one hand, the lonely panther journalism club has a very elegant design, and as soon as you walk in, you'll notice gray modern sofas and various couches on the lounge. There's also a small bar counter on the edge and a few tiny chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

There is only one room on the second floor, which was designed as the editor in chief's office for the journalism club. In this room, couches were arranged symmetrically, and there were many bookshelves nearby. Gold medals and trophies were also hung on the walls.

Then you will see a handsome man—Edwin Moran, the editor-in-chief of the Lonely Panther Journalism Club—standing in front of the tall windows and gazing out at the campus as though he were its ruler. He has blonde short hair, fluffy green eyes, a pointed nose, pale-white skin, and an innocent look.

He soon heard someone knock on the other doors, so he just sat on the swivel chair and said, "Come in," in a monotone voice.

When the person from outside heard his voice, that's when he entered. There, she saw the gorgeous editor-in-chief Edwin Moran holding a glass of wine, and the girl, who was his secretary, couldn't help but blush on him. Edwin spoke in a cool-yet-charming tone as soon as he spotted her.

"do you need something?"

"a-ah.. yes! I'm here to report you something, it's about the student council election, I already get the list of students who will run at the next student council election, please look at it."

".. I see, then give me here."

she give the folders to to edwin moran and as soon as he open it, he saw some familiar names, but there's only one thing that caught his attention.

"Keir Samael Xenon and Damion Del luna is running for president.. huh?"

a small smile slowly curves on his lips as he let out a silent laugh while looking to the folders Infront of her, then after that, he close the folders and clasped his hands together.

"things will get busy for the upcoming days marian, we can use this opportunity to raise our journalism club's reputation, do everything what you can to find some rumors about them.. heh, this time we will make the president meet it's fall."

"g-got it..

"ah.. there's another one."

edwin moran glance back at his secretary again with a slightly frown on his face. "what is it this time?"

"someone wanted to meet you, he told me to meet them at the class zero's pavilion garden right now, what are we going to do?" and that stops edwin moran from drinking his wine, he couldn't help but to felt perplexed, there are a lots of people wanted to meet the editor-in-chief of journalism club, and some of them was an act of attempt to assassinate him, so he felt suspicious.

"reject them."

"u-uh.. that is.. he give you this envelope.."

"an envelope?"

"yes.."

Edwin Moran motioned for his secretary to come over before he took the folder in her hand and opened it in a bored manner. However, as soon as he pulled out the picture of him engaging in a covert transaction with P.N. Academy's rival outside of the school, having a one-night stand with some women for his own pleasure, and then smuggling and selling some guns to another group of organizations outside for money. and at the bottom, his eyes slowly widened in shock as soon as he saw a small letter written on it.

'meet me in pavilion garden if you still want to be look respectable outside of the academy.'

He held the envelope so firmly that it almost crumpled, which caused his secretary to frown in perplexity. However, soon after, Edwin Moran calmed himself and clasped his hands together while wearing a serious expression.

'No, let's give this some serious thought. There have been numerous individuals who have targeted my life, and the majority of them are members of the student council who are acting on Damion del Luna's orders. throughout my entire five years of residing inside the academy and opposing him, He doesn't appear to be giving the class zero his own job to complete.

damion and I have been known to each other since we are still a child, both of our families are rivals and enemies when it comes to businesses, politics and underground works. of course, it's the same way as us.

however.. I haven't defeat him yet, not even once. be it in academics, examination, martial arts, swordmanship and even in looks, I'm always next to him, and he often take the praise from the crowds. in other words, he's perfect.

Therefore, even though I don't want to admit it, there is no way he would use this method while relying on his class; given how arrogant he is, he would rather commit suicide than ask for help from others, this leads me to believe that..

'There is a traitor in their class, pulling the strings behind class-back zero's to prevent him from being elected president of student council!'

after giving it some thought, edwin moran sighed heavily and stood up from his swiveling chair. He then put his red blazer, which was adorned with a black panther badge with blue eyes, on his shoulder as if it were a cape. He then put his left hand in his pocket as the wind blew his messy blonde hair out of the windows.

"Let's go, marian, come with me."

"s-should I get two of your body guards to guard you?"

"there's no need, let's just go."

"G-got it!"

....

In the meantime, at the pavilion garden, which was located behind the class-zero building, you will see a tall black gate and contemporary fences that are 5 meters tall, enough to prevent a person from getting in. It was also encircled by CCTV cameras, though they are currently hidden by some unidentified objects, and the security room was being managed by someone.

There is a pathway that leads to the garden's center when you enter through the gate, and when dusk fell, dazzling illumination would appear along it.

One of the garden's largest white concrete fountains has two sculptures of angels blowing trumpets on either side of a third angel who is fervently praying. Just by looking at the fountain, you can tell that the artist had a hidden meaning in mind when they created it.

The fountains are surrounded by a seat, two huge wisteria trees on either side, plain green grass, and a couple of small ponds. Then, behind the fountain, a moon gate and a different walkway lead to a pavilion where the pillars were encircled by roses and other creeping flowers.

and then, you will see a crystalle that have an ash-gray hair and gray eyes sitting in the antique chairs with a gentle demeanor and having a tea and dessert as though she was attending to someone's royal tea party, and devian who have a faint smile on his lips, standing patiently beside her, and then soon after crystalle spoke.

"I didn't know that there's a peaceful place like this in academy, I thought this school only thinks of chaos, catastrophe and wars. it's as if like a beautiful garden that place inside in hell, don't you think that's funny?"

crystalle chuckles a little as her face turns into cold and expressionless one before she cross her legs and leaned her hands on the table and said meaningfully. ".. Why would they even bother to put a lovely garden in a house full of corrupt people? It keeps ruining the elegant image of a garden. tsk."

Devian looked at Crystalle and observed her reaction. As usual, she was expressionless, plain, and bored, as if she had lost hope in the state of the world and the circumstances they were in, so devian just simply sighed at her.

'she's perfect, beautiful, intelligent and flawless however.. she's too self-centered, sigh.'

suddenly, as soon as devian felt that someone enter inside of the gate and is coming to them, that's when he reminded crystalle with a smile on his lips.

"he's here."

"heh, really? as expected to a person who cares so much to his image."

Yes, that's right! by the time lessons were out, crystalle had already started working on her first strategy, which was to form a partnership with the lonely panther journalism Club. The editor-in-chief of the Lonely Panther Journalism Club is one of her targets, so she gave rohan the task of gathering information about him and his club that she could use to win him over. Since rohan found the task easy, she and Devian quickly got to work making their move; after all, this is the best time for it.

Edwin Moran and his secretary entered the garden right now and went straight to their meeting spot. However, as they passed the moon gate and saw the girl sitting in the middle of the pavilion holding a teacup, Edwin's expression changed to one of seriousness and he began to slowly approach the pavilion.

as he slowly saw the girl's smirking face and the person beside her, he just gasps.

"I haven't seen your face in magazine nor in newspapers but I roughly have an idea who could you might be due to the rumors about you killed the leader of 'phoenix' on your own, I thought you are someone I need to becareful of, but it turns out that you're just a newbie of class-zero who only made one name, and yet you dare to call and threatened me? the editor-in-chief of lonely panther journalism club?"

hearing those words, crystalle chuckled as she sign devian to give edwin a cup of tea which he immediately followed, "why don't you have some tea first?"

".. I don't accept things from someone I don't even know of."

"oh? then allow us to introduce ourselves to you, I am elyze moriarty and this is my fiancee devian.

and please rest assured, we didn't put anything to that teacup, I'm always a patient person and not the type who would kill someone easily." she smiled to edwin moran as if he's hinting something, so edwin couldn't help but to glance at her, and then after that, he also smile plainly to crystalle and took the teacup.

"and then..? what do you want, Ms. Moriarty? surely, you didn't call me just to threatened me, right?"

"of course, there's something I want to talk about with you." she glance at edwin moran, while there's still a faint smirk forming on his lips, after that, she clasped her hand together before speaking.

"the upcoming student council election, would you like to made an alliance with me..?"

edwin just gasps as soon as he heard crystalle's words, "I have a hunch that there might be a traitor in class-zero, but I didn't expect that—that was you." he said seriously but he just frowned when crystalle giggled to him.

"it seems like you misunderstood me, Mr. moran."

"What..?"

for the second time, another grin form to her lips that gives edwin a shiver down the spine, she's holding a teacup and drink it, and then she said as if she hint something, "I have never been a traitor in class-zero."

silence re-engulfed between them as soon as edwin heard crystalle's replied, only the sound of the wind scourging the trees and grasses you will heard, and then a few minutes later, she added.

"For now. that is." Once more, Crystalle simply smiled and left Edwin Moran to look even more perplexed about what she was planning to accomplish after noticing his reaction. They then switched topics of conversation.

"So then.. what do you say? I know that you don't want Damion to win this upcoming election, after all, if that happens, the journalism club will meet its own demise and lose its connection that you built up for almost five years, in addition to that, your father may even kick you off his family, as he has high expectations on you that you will going to be the one who will defeat the First heir of the Del luna family and made him lose his face—"

Edwin Moran put down his tea cup and stopped talking. His face turned gloomy and he gave crystalle a cold look, but she didn't flinch at all as it seemed like she had anticipated it more. She merely smiles plainly. "is it wrong?"

"you.. where did you get those information?"

"heh.. I have my own ways, and I'm afraid I couldn't tell that to you, but here's one thing I know of.. I can help you get your father's acknowledgement, and make damion go down to his seat, I can assure you that." edwin observe crystalle who have a small smirk on his lips, there's no hint of arrogance on her face, but only a calm-yet-dominating aura surrounded on her as though she is sure that she will win.

While this is happening, Edwin finds the offer to be quite alluring because he has been yearning for his father's approval ever since. Since he was a young child, people have frequently compared Edwin—the youngest of his three siblings—to his two brothers and to Damion, and this peer pressure has helped him become the "perfect student" that he is today.

Being second in both academics and athletics is initially sufficient for him, though.. No matter how hard he worked, his father was unable to recognize him in any way, and he continued to be compared to his siblings. No matter what he did, nothing changed in his life, and eventually he lost the will to struggle.

And at the moment, he merely obeys his father's orders like a puppet, with only one task left to complete before the year is out: to vanquish Damion del Luna.

So, Edwin couldn't help but wonder, 'If I were to assist her, will I really receive my father's gratitude? If that takes place, I might get the chance to take over our company. This is a chance, right? '

on the one hand, despite of crystalle showing his calm face Infront of edwin, she was already smirking inside out of amusement, seeing edwin having a serious look all around his face makes crystalle wanted to grin widely as though he's enjoying the show.

and she had wanted to see this outcome from the beginning! Edwin's weakness was her target in order to win him over; she had this strategy planned out from the beginning. She brought up the subject of his family situation and forced him to remember all the memories he had long buried.

Crystalle is very familiar with how the human mind functions. She is aware that no matter how strong a person is, it won't change the fact that they all had to start from scratch and that they all have weaknesses. In fact, the person who is considered to be the strongest in the world likely has the greatest number of weaknesses concealed deep inside of them.

She is well aware that in order to become stronger, one must first throw their past selves into the ground, bury all the memories they believed to be the root of their weakness, and then forget everything they need to forget. After all, she is one of the millions of people who go through such things.

Suddenly, she heard Edwin sigh. He then looked at Crystalle solemnly, crossed his legs, and held out his hand in front of her.

"and how would you do that..? how can I be sure that you will help me? do you really think that damion get the president's seat just because his aunt is the dean of this school? let me tell you in advance that he's not that type of person, I have a hard time on him because of his cunning, treacherous, deceitful and machiavellianism personality. he will do everything by any means just to get what he wants, that's how greedy he is."

"..and do you really think that I didn't know that?"

"What..?"

the smirk on crystalle's lips slowly faded as her face turns into serious one, "I'm not the type of a person who will move carelessly without preparing any plan beforehand, this is damion del luna we were talking about, even if we manage to kick him down on president's seat, he will going avenge and retrieve everything that's supposed to be him, surely, he will going to do anything just to eliminate us, but, I'll make sure that your safety will be secure if you allied with me. it's up to you weather you want me to be your ally or an enemy however.."

Crystalle put her index finger to her lips as a small grin curves on it, "making me your enemy just means disturbing demons in hell."

as she cited those words, edwin couldn't help but to feel chill down to his spine when he glance at at crystalle, her hand was clasped together while there's a faint smile on her lips and half-close her eyes, but what makes him more gasp is the person beside crystalle, which is devian, even tho he's just silently listening to their conversation, you will still feel an imaginary dark and eerie presence surrounding on him, meanwhile when devian notice that edwin was looking at her, he give him a smile.

"is there something..?"

Edwin shook his head and massage his temple before smile bitterly as well, and then not long after, he give crystalle a simple grin and said while laughing softly.

"interesting.. and then? do you have a plan?"

crystalle giggled, "so you accepted it huh?"

edwin spread his arms wide and sigh, "do I have a choice? you were holding my secrets, and even if I decline you.. you're not going to let me go off easily, right? I know most of your secrets, and I might leak it in the whole academy once I went back in the journalism club, besides.. this is a good opportunity for me, I'll pretend to be your pawn once the student council election ended, and I will follow your orders as long as it was beyond in my power."

".. a clever decision, as expected."

"you flatter me."

"well, anyway.. I hope for a pleasant partnership, Mr. moran." crystalle held out her right hand Infront of edwin, so he just glanced at it, soon after, he also smile and accept his hands with a small smirk.

"I hope for a pleasant partnership."

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