It was lunch time. Everyone in the academy was getting ready to eat. As the special class began to walk towards the cafeteria a lot of people flinched. Mia’s display of power the day before was still fresh in their minds. Only the fact that she was somehow hurt along with the smiles and silent reassurances of the rest of the special class allowed things to not devolve into panic.

Even if they arrived together, they didn’t eat together every day. Once they took their food they went their separate ways. The special class was special but not something unreachable anymore. They were mingling with the other students more during breaks like this.

“May we sit here?” Hinata asked Mia, Narissa, Shishen and Cassandra who were already seated at a table.

“Sure.” Mia said absentmindedly.

“Quite an impressive display yesterday.” Hinata said after everyone ate for a few minutes. Alluding to Mia’s display on the colosseum.

“He said bad things about my mom. He is lucky she is nice…” Mia said, a little angry. Everyone on the table got a little agitated by that.

“You punished him thoroughly. There is no need to remember him now.” Narissa said, trying to calm Mia down, which worked.

“The rest of the ladies here also had impressive fights. I always thought that I was on a good level but I should probably train a little more.” Hinata said, sucking up to everyone.

“You are still better than us overall.” Katia said.

“Yeah. Last time we got together you could run figurative laps around us.” Narissa said.

“You were doing what?” Kaki asked.

“What a lady does with her fellows is their own business, unless you gentleman want to come to. Your presence would be greatly appreciated.” Hinata said very suggestively.

“I mean, we…” Kaki tried to say something but was stopped.

“No thanks but we appreciate the invite.” Mathias said.

“But…”

“We are very occupied.”

“Still…”

“So, Klaws, how is your training? Should we do something again?” Mathias asked Klaws but kept looking at Kaki.

“Like normal but I wouldn’t mind some training against a spear user.” Klaws said normally but it was clearly a threat to anyone who knew what they were talking about.

“Yeah…We have stuff to do.” Kaki said in defeat.

“I will be leaving, till tomorrow.” Mia said as she left the table. Everyone gave their byes back.

“We will be going too. Have a nice lunch ladies. We will be seeing each other in the afternoon lessons.” Mathias said, giving a silent command for all the boys to follow him, which they did.

—-

“What was all that about?” Luminus asked as they all sat in the courtyard, near a tree.

“All of you are idiots and I had to do something.” Mathias explained.

“Who are you calling dumb?” Moon asked angrily.

“I said idiots, not dumbasses! Can’t you see that she is trying to use all of you?” Mathias said.

“Who? Hinata? I barely talked with her.” Klaws said. Everyone else seems to agree with him.

“...you really don’t see what is happening? Suddenly people are talking with us, doing stuff for us, asking us to go out with them.” Mathias began to explain.

“We are in the special class, aren’t we? It should be normal.” Moon said.

“A few months ago? Yes. Now? I am seeing why I was put in charge of all of you. Let’s start with the worst offender, Kaki. Keep it in your pants before you do something you are not prepared for the consequences.”

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“I suddenly get popular and this is what happens?” Kaki asked.

“Kaki, you are not popular, it is a fact. Everyone approaching you is under the request of Hinata. It is always some girl that is part of her circle or wants an in. Some people might like you from afar but not in the numbers you tell me and especially not who. We are barely nobles and those girls wouldn’t settle for simple knights.”

“But…”

“Next is Luminus. We both know that you are nowhere near good enough to make an average user of psychic powers into a great one like a lot of them seem to say to you as you like to tell me. They are just trying to inflate your ego.”

“Ok…” Luminus responded.

“Moon. Don’t you find it strange that a lot of people suddenly want to have diplomatic relations with your kingdom and go towards you first? How a lot of people are suddenly interested in how your country looks and seem to praise it? You are strangely nationalist when someone brings it up to you.”

“My kingdom is a great place.” Moon affirmed.

“See? Last one Klaws and at least he seems a little oblivious to what is happening but it doesn’t make it any worse.”

“What am I doing?” Klaws asked.

“Free gifts are not free. People are trying to buy you. I know it feels nice that people are encouraging you in some way but some of the things you said to me you received are clearly bribes.”

“Why would anyone do that?” Klaws asked, confused.

“Mia, they want to get close to Mia. How did any of you not notice that?” Mathias asked, clearly flabbergasted.

“What about you? Nobody did anything to you?” Kaki asked.

“Of course they did! But unlike you four, I know how to turn people down.”

“Sorry, mister perfect!” Kaki said.

“It’s not like I will do anything that will put her in danger.” Klaws added.

“Look, we are all doing the same thing, I know it can be stressful but don’t let these people who want to just use you be your release outlet. If it gets too hard just stop. Nobody will say anything about it.”

“If it is too hard for you, you can just stop.” Klaws said to Mathias.

“You can’t even make me budge. Are you sure that it’s working?” Mathias said, returning the gesture.

They eyed each other for a moment and then punched each other in the chest, finishing their conversation soon after.

—

“One can only wish to have their own knights, can’t they?” Hinata asked the group.

“Yes, the special class is very lucky, ain’t it, Lady Hinata?” A female student sat nearby said.

“I prefer the type that can actually do something.” Cassandra said.

“Well, Cassandra. You can’t really complain about free things.” Narissa said.

“Yeah, do you know how hard it is to find boys who hurt themselves like them?” Shishen said, half-joking.

“So, how is it to see them go at their limit?” Hinata asked.

“Boring and sweaty. Usually followed by some pain because we were paying attention to something else and the instructors hit us.” Katia said.

“...Your lessons are very different, aren’t they? I wish I could enter the special class.”

“You need to be able to camp by yourself.” Shishen said.

“Can’t see how that helps.” Hinata says.

“A few slots will open up next year. You might have some luck then.” Cassandra said.

“But Hinata is so smart that she probably already has enough graduation points to graduate this year.” Narissa said.

“Thanks for the compliment but there is still half a year to see if I graduate or not.” Hinata said.

“Lady Hinata is very smart, I’m sure she can do it.” A girl said. Hinata couldn’t do anything but give a strained smile.

The girls talked a little but soon went their ways with the ones from the special class returning to their classroom.

“That bitch!” Narissa angrily said as they all got inside the room.

“Language, Narissa.” Shishen said.

“Do not ask me to not get angry! She knows what she is doing.”

“Your relationship is not as public as you think.” Cassandra said.

“And not like you are very open about it.” Katia added.

“I tell stuff as a sign of goodwill and that’s what I get!” Narissa said, pointing to the rest of the girls.

“Just let it go. It’s not like anything will happen.” Shishen said.

“Oh no! You don’t know half the stuff she is trying. None of you has any idea of the amount of stuff that I have to protect all of you from.” Narissa said.

“Well, we are at least getting something out of it.” Cassandra said.

“Just because you are smart enough to see when someone is trying to take advantage of you doesn’t mean you know how they will do it.”

“Sadly, it’s true. She has more experience dealing with nobles here than any of us. It’s not like we have many connections to do anything.” Katia said.

“And who knows what her family is actually doing? If we get overly hostile against her it might backfire on Mia.” Narissa said.

“The poor knight that fought her just said a few bad things. Imagine what she would do if she heard there are entire families plotting against her?” Shishen added.

“But I can still take money from her, can’t I?” Cassandra asked.

“...I’m going to find you a boyfriend so you forget about money a little.”

“I can buy one.”

“But you won’t and your usual escort would scare most people anyway. If you continue like that you will never feel the fire of love.” Narissa said to Cassandra.

“Mathias seems to be very good with that fire. I will ask him later if you insist.” Cassandra joked.

“That is it. You get Kaki!” Narissa said as she grabbed Cassandra by the arms and began to march outside.