"Damn, they really went all out in this," Oliver mumbled as we walked together into the open-roofed hall, filled with hundreds of benches displaying various weapons.

Swords, spears, axes... all types of weapons...I observed as our class entered the hall with excitement.

"Azariah, what weapon are you choosing?" Ashlyn asked, her eyes glowing with excitement.

"Hammer," I replied, shrugging.

"Ew. That's the best you can think of?" Miley asked, with a hint of disgust, walking beside Ashlyn.

"That's the weapon of brave people, idiot, and I never asked for your opinion," I retorted, giving her an annoyed look.

"Only stupid and cowardly people use a hammer as a weapon," she rebuked, her face flushed with anger. "And guess what? You are both."

"Please don't say these types of things to him," Ashlyn stood between me and Miley, interjecting and looking at her.

"What? You don't even know what type of beast he is," Miley sneered, glaring at me.

"Why are you even trying to get close to Ashlyn, huh?"

"Shut up, idiot," I retorted.

"Tell me, Azariah," she hissed, coming closer to me.

"What do you plan to do to her? Make her your bed warmer? Or do you plan to make her your maid? Idiotic leecher."

I didn't reply. Instead, I looked at Ashlyn, who had a disturbed look on her face.

Then....

I put my hand on my bracelet as I took out my hammer from it, my gaze unwavering as I looked back at her.

Once again, she was trying to interfere with me, even though she's the person I've put in the least effort to hate me.

"Az," Oliver grabbed me by my shoulders, making me look at him.

"What?"

"Leave it."

"I'm not doing anything, just showing her that a hammer is a great weapon," I replied innocently.

"What does that mean?" Miley frowned, asking.

"Nothing, bro, leave it," Oliver shook his head at Miley, then turned to me.

"Yes, Azariah, please don't fight between friends," Ashlyn also pleaded albeit averting her gaze from me.

"Fine," I replied, putting my hammer back.

"Anyway, come here," Oliver placed his hand over my shoulder and led me a little further away.

"What do you want now?" I grumbled as we walked.

"You know I bought a new bike," he said, grinning widely.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"When did you even learned how to ride?"

I've known both of twins since I was a child, and both brothers are afraid of riding a bike.

Even I, who is a year younger than them, know how to ride properly.

"Shut up. It's not like all of us are lucky enough to have a beautiful girl helping us learn,"

he replied, glaring at me, which tightened his grip on my neck.

Yeah, right.

Christina was the one who taught me how to ride a cycle, and Adaliah taught me how to ride a bike.

And... Adaliah was the worst kind of person to teach you anything.

I still remember how she used to slap me even at the slightest mistake.

I even got my finger crushed by her because I made a mistake.

"Az?" Oliver asked, making me look at him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied with a slight smile, ignoring the cold sweat pouring down my back.

"Are you really? You don't look it to me."

"Yeah, just some bad memories," I replied as I took out my phone.

"What are you doing?" He asked, glancing at the phone as well.

"Buying a bike," I replied as I looked at the latest model that I could find online.

"Wait, how? I had to beg my father just so I could have one," he said, looking confused.

"I have millions in my bank account," I simply replied as I bought the bike of my liking.

"Your mother is spoiling you," he grumbled with an envious look.

"I wish that was true," I mumbled with a tired sigh.

She isn't spoiling me; she's just giving me everything I need just to take everything I have.

"Anyway, how many love letters did you get till now?" he asked, grinning.

"... Zero."

"Hah, noob, I got five."

"Stop lyin—."

Slap!!

He interjected, slapping letters on my face.

'Fucker had to do it.'

Closing my eyes, I thought before I looked at his stupid grinning face.

"....They are from the girls from viscount or baron families, right?"

"How do you know?"

"Yeah, you are dumb to think they even like you."

"That's persona—."

"What's that fucker doing?" I interjected, glancing towards Ashlyn as she stood with a pouting Miley and Ethan, who was talking with them.

"Who? Ethan?" Oliver asked, looking at them as well. "Let him be; he isn't a bad guy."

"The fuck do you know about him?" I growled at him as I started to walk towards them.

"They are here," Oliver mumbled seriously as he removed his hand from my shoulder.

I also looked where he was looking.

And leading the other two classes were the class teachers of the three sections—Lauryn, Daphne, and Jullian.

And right behind them were the leaders of sections A and B.

With Arianell and Shyamal leading section A, and Lucus and Keegan leading section B.

And... Right behind them were the second-strongest in their class, Aimar and Aaliyah from section B.

"Ahh, here he is, Archie's wannabe shadow,"

Oliver mumbled as he looked at the tall, dark-skinned boy with dark blonde hair walking confidently behind Arianell and Shyamal.

Tristan Hampton, son of the empire's Special Units leader, and Prince Archie's wannabe shadow.

"Little n—."

"Woah, bro, bro," Oliver interjected before I could complete my words.

"..... Little nut job is a pain in the ass."

"Ohh, that he is."

"Yeah."

"I still don't understand why he chose Archie to serve instead of the two princesses," Oliver mumbled, frowning as he looked at them.

"Gay?" I asked.

"Gay," he affirmed.

""Gay,""

we both said in unison, nodding our heads.

".....Any chances of you defeating Arianell?" I asked, folding my arms and looking at the white-haired girl.

"... Don't joke around. Both Arianell and Shyamal are already at 4th Primeval, and your big brother here is only at 3rd Primeval," Oliver grumbled with a tired sigh.

"....Same for Keegan, Lucus, and Tristan. They're all just a step away from reaching 4th Primeval," I added, thinking about them.

They're all the best in the empire and are even acting like the leaders of the classes.

Both Arianell and Shyamal are around the same rank, with Shyamal having an edge because of the crown.

".....We can't win the half-yearly exam for sure," Oliver mumbled, and I just looked at them.

"....."

Yeah.....

The stronger they are, the better, because at the half-yearly exams,we will be attacked from three sides simultaneously and whoever is the closest to me will die.

'And I'm glad no one is close to me now.'

All I need to do is make sure Ashlyn will be there to protect me with her life if needed.

[....Again, are you really going to risk her life for your own sake?]

'Yeah,' sighing, I moved towards the table with weapons.

[....She has a younger sister, remember?]

'Don't try to guilt-trip me, El. I'm not a good guy,' I replied.

'.....and I've already killed innocent people before.'

[.....You sacrificed for her as well, didn't you? Then why is she getting different treatment?]

'.....Remember when you once asked why I choose her, with whom I had the least chance of success?'

[Yeah.]

'.... because she's the one I can be sure of that I won't fall in love with....

And if I were to choose either Christina or Arianell, I'm sure to fall for them....'

[....You're afraid?]

'Y-yeah, I'm afraid.'

Afraid of losing someone I love....

.... Again.

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