Bullying.
A term often associated with children, but one that knows no boundaries and transcends age. It lurks in the shadows, permeating the very fabric of our society. Even within the supposedly hallowed halls of Ark Academy, this insidious problem rears its ugly head.
As an institution that prides itself on nurturing highly talented individuals, the presence of bullying comes as no surprise.
After all, gifted minds often come with equally formidable egos, and in this environment, clashes are inevitable. Behind closed doors, beneath such a pristine facade, acts of torment and cruelty would unfold, leaving a trail of shattered dreams and broken spirits.
In a sense, no matter where you are, humans are the same.
Creatures with egos, creatures that like to feel to stand above others.
In any case, as I was walking on the lands of the academy, the sun had already set, and the roads were empty compared to the daytime.
The darkness of the night descended on the academy, showing that it was time to prepare for the next day.
And here I was, walking all alone, just to do that. I wanted to rest my head, as I was tired from constant focus.
It was like, just sometimes you would want to shut your head down and not want to think anything at all. I was walking just like that.
Until a small voice perked up my ears.
A small voice that would not normally get caught unless you are someone with sensitive senses.
In the silence and the solace of the night, my ears were perked up over the small distant cry of pain.
Yes, it was a cry of pain, like someone being attacked.
As I listened, a sense of familiarity washed over me. "I somehow feel like I recognize this voice," I realized as there was no opposition from my head.
Immediately, my senses became alert. Even though I was not able to directly infer the voice, I wanted to clarify it. Intrigue washed over me.
Instinctively, I followed the sound, my steps guided by a mix of concern and curiosity.
'Hmm? Something feels weird.' I thought as the mana senses I had just trained perked up. 'The mana around is changing?' From this alone, it was obvious that this was something slightly serious.
The moonlight was washing over the lands as I deviated from the road, activating my [All Seeing Eye].
Only to see a small barrier that was covering an area filled with trees. 'The voices are getting blocked.' I thought, analyzing the simple construction. 'Whispering Veil.' And the name of the artifact soon came into my mind since it was a slightly common product.
As I approached the origin of the commotion, a distressing sight greeted me. A group of students, mostly girls, had formed a circle around a solitary individual, their expressions twisted with malice.
However, even if I had yet to enter the barrier, I was now very close. Thus, I was able to pick the voices inside in more detail, even though they were still low in strength.
"What now, bitch! How dare you lay your eyes on my fiancée!" a girl's venomous voice pierced through the air, dripping with animosity.
At this point, it was obvious that the girl in the middle of the ring was someone that was picked up as the target of bullying.
'Lirienne.' And soon, the name of the girl came to me as I observed the face that was in the middle.
However, her appearance had been deliberately altered by an artifact, concealing her true identity from those unaware of her heritage.
The platinum hair of Moon Elves could no longer be seen, filled with a brown color. The captivating allure of her unique gray eyes, which set her apart from others, had been replaced by hazel, blending her gaze into that of any ordinary girl. But most importantly, it was her ears that were changed since the pointy shape could no longer be seen.
It was a precaution I had taken for her in the academy since if she entered with her normal looks, her origins would be blatantly obvious, and the whole purpose would be destroyed.
But, it seems the fa?ade had been slightly shattered, as she was there getting picked up by this cruel group.
The ring ladder of the girl was gazing through the Lirienne as she had grabbed her from her hair. "You bitch, why aren't you answering?" She spat curses as she looked into the girl staying underneath.
The group was someone that you would expect from such an act. Filled with paints all around their face, they were the attention-seeking whores we would call in our schools. The ones that would go to any length to get the attention on themselves.
"I did not do such a thing." I saw Lirienne answering as she, too, gazed through the girl. Rather than crying, her eyes were filled with blatant anger.
'Why is she not resisting?' I thought as I confirmed the strength of the bullies with my [All Seeing Eye]. 'They are not that stronger than her. She should be able to put up a fight if she wants.' I thought.
Though the moment my attention was returned to her, I saw the small mana blockage underneath her core. 'Ah, that's why….. She is drugged.' The realization came upon me as I saw her trying to force her mana from her core but failing to do so.
The ringleader tightened her grip on Lirienne's hair, a sadistic smirk playing on her lips. "You dare deny it? I saw you looking at my fiancée, you filthy liar!" She spoke as the sound of punching echoed inside the barrier, coming to my ears.
However, from her eyes alone, the hatred was evident, and I knew they would be dead if she was able to get rid of the drug.
The rest of the group jeered and taunted, feeding off the ringleader's aggression. Their words were like daggers, aimed to pierce through Lirienne's fa?ade, but not to avail.
'Let's wait for a while. This situation is quite useful to subdue this little villainess….' With that thought, I waited and observed. As my senses were all over the place….
-------------------A/N-------------------
Hope you liked the chapters. Now, it is time to advance in terms of relationships of 'heroines' for a while...
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