This... this was not what he expected.

Alexander almost wanted to laugh. How could he forget his accursed luck? Was he even allowed to?

Everything had been normal when he arrived, except for the absence of those three. Although tense at first, Alexander had started to relax as the day went on. Just as the final class was about to end, a staff member came to fetch him.

Now, Alexander found himself facing all the teachers in his department, except for those who were out of the city for training or other reasons.

There were also a few teachers from other faculties and two from outside the faculty entirely, which made the situation even more bizarre. Being stared down by sixteen teachers in a room was more than a bit jarring.

To make matters worse, they all just looked at him in silence, not uttering a single word.

At that moment, saying Alexander was crapping his pants would be the understatement of the year.

“So, Mister Alexander.” The man sitting to the right of the dean took off his glasses as he spoke.

Alexander had been swallowing nervously before, but now he gulped three times in quick succession. This man was Mr. Anowar. According to rumors, he was not only the strictest teacher but also the dean’s right-hand man.

To be honest, the rumors claimed that the dean only held her position due to her seniority, and Mr. Anowar was the one who truly reigned supreme in the department. Rightfully so, as he was the most accomplished member of the department present. Well, except for one professor currently in the capital for his final education degree.

In any case, he was screwed.

"Mr. Alexander, I assume we don’t need to explain why we called you here," Mr. Anowar said, snapping Alexander back to reality.

“There’s nothing to discuss. Just expel the boy,” one of the teachers from outside the faculty said, his tone dripping with judgment.

The atmosphere suddenly turned tense. All eyes were on Mr. Anowar, who, in turn, was glaring at the speaker.

Alexander looked up, noticing every teacher was staring at Mr. Anowar, except for Mr. Mundol, the name of the outspoken teacher. Mr. Anowar was fixed on Mr. Mundol, not even blinking. Mr. Mundol tried to look in Mr. Anowar's eyes but failed miserably. The silence stretched, and the tension grew palpable. “Mr. Hur Mundol,” Mr. Anowar finally said, pausing ominously. Even Alexander and other teachers felt suffocated by the silence, let alone Mr. Mundol.

“This is my department. I’ve given you enough leeway by involving you in this matter. Do. Not. Push. It.” Mr. Mundol's aura flared with his frustration, but it was quickly quashed by the overwhelming presence of Mr. Anowar as he spoke each word with a pronounced pause.

All the teachers were sweating buckets. So there was really no reason to state the condition of a puny creature like Alexander.

Alexander left the place with a grumpy face. "There was no justice."

In the end, he was the one punished, while Taker and his gang went scot-free. It was decided that Alexander would be suspended from class for 13 days. During the first five days, he had to do community service, including planting trees, cleaning the north side, Giro Field, and the south side Noda exhibition, along with some other miscellaneous tasks.

Though none of this was particularly hard for Alexander, and he was already considering incorporating the exercises given by his ancestor with this punishment, it still felt bad to be treated unjustly. However, it was bearable, all thanks to Mr. Anowar.

There had been a huge argument about him. Teachers from the faculty and outsiders were so determined to expel him that Alexander almost thought he had wronged them personally. As for the teachers from his department, however, one teacher—known for his relentless sermons on ethics and morality, and whom Alexander had always respected for his apparent apathy to students—took Mr. Mundol's side.

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This was especially infuriating for Alexander, given the teacher's constant discourse on ethics and fairness. Alexander had always believed him to be one of the most morally upright individuals.

Alexander tried to clarify his position multiple times, but every attempt was met with Mr. Kisir’s abrupt dismissals. It was as if Mr. Kisir was determined not to hear him out, shutting him down before he could even get a word in. The refusal to listen left Alexander feeling increasingly frustrated and helpless.

Despite Mr. Anowar’s initial efforts to assist him, the opposition was overwhelming. Ultimately, even Mr. Anowar had to concede, albeit reluctantly, and he ensured that Alexander’s punishment was as minimal as possible. However, Mr. Anowar was no pushover. Before anyone had the chance to say anything, he swiftly diverted the conversation about the punishment of Taker and his gang.

But as if turning on a switch, like an explosion setting off, almost everyone joined the fray at once—Mr. Kisir, the teacher from outside the facility, and even some previously mentioned deferment teachers along with the chairman herself. They began to speak up, asserting Taker’s innocence and alleging that he had been unjustly treated. The flood of support was overwhelming.

It was in that moment that it all clicked for Alexander. The realization dawned on him that without Mr. Anowar, he would have been sure to be expelled today. With only one university in the city, this would mean the end of his education there, or he would have to relocate to another city entirely to continue his studies. In other words, the end of his study, as he doubted his father had the money to relocate to another city.

As he walked, Alexander had to admit he had underestimated Taker’s father’s influence. The man had secured most of the teachers for his son in a manner that was quite impressive. Alexander thought with a faint smile as his lips curved into a subtle arch.

On the flip side, Alexander was convinced this wouldn’t be the end. It might have been if he had been outright expelled, but he doubted someone as egotistical as Taker would be satisfied with such an outcome.

By the dawn of the second day, Alexander was making his way through the university. The work wasn’t particularly hard. The main challenge was incorporating it into his workout routine, which he managed with relative ease.

The plan had been to start working at the university before morning, but a cruel twist of fate—a twist like a knife through Alexander’s heart—meant he had to run the entire way from home to the university.

At first, the knife was metaphorical, but when he started running, it became literal and frankly guttural. At first, it was not that big of a hassle, but after almost half the path, he started panting.

His pace was relentless, and despite pushing himself, Alexander found himself panting heavily. He had intended to take a taxi to the university, but his stubborn ancestor vehemently opposed the idea.

Afterward, he was forced to take a rest for 30 minutes before he could move again, but in that time, he understood something. He had run almost, well, barely almost two-thirds of the way to the university, without stopping once. Was it even possible for the old him? The answer was, without a doubt, a resounding no. The thought put a smile on his face, which was soon doused by the pain and soreness. Especially on the fricking legs. They were killing him.

And, as was to be expected, he had to stop multiple times on the rest of the way and even had to take almost another 45 minutes of break after coming to the university. The experience was not pleasant, to say the least. But fortunately, he arrived very early and was able to complete the task before the students arrived. In that way, the work was easier.

Today, Alexander arrived even earlier, determined to apply the lessons from the previous day. He planned to take multiple breaks to avoid worsening his condition, but his ancestor butted in and told him to push on until he couldn’t move anymore, before resting briefly and continuing. Despite his early start, the day unfolded almost exactly like the previous one.

By the end, he managed to complete both his workout and his punishment. Just three more days, and he would have an eight-day vacation. He was already considering visiting the forest area again to gain some levels.

He had other plans too, but his thoughts were interrupted. As he tossed a plastic bottle into the correct bin, Alexander paused. He had that feeling again—the sensation of being watched. He shrugged it off, reminding himself the campus was large. Though his assigned area seemed small compared to the whole university, it was quite expansive, and he couldn’t afford to get distracted.

However, by the end of the day, the feeling solidified. He was being tailed by two or maybe three people, not all at once, but in shifts of two or one. He wasn’t certain.

Given how he had noticed them even while trying to avoid distractions and without any help from his ancestor, there were two possibilities: they were either incredibly bad at tailing or they simply didn’t care if he noticed.

Alexander had a hunch it was both. As for who was following him, it was easy enough to guess. Undoubtedly, it was the seniors. Though he couldn’t confirm it, he was more than 99% sure.

This was not good. He swallowed hard, feeling a wave of unease wash over him.