"Donny?"
Recognizing the familiar voice, Adonis turned his head.
"Max?"
'Donny? What a cute nickname.' Tilting her head slightly, Hiram also directed her gaze toward the approaching Rising Star.
"You look...clean." Despite the chilling memory of Adonis being covered in blood, Maxwell grinned softly, trying to make the situation lighthearted.
"Yeah, I clean up pretty well." Adonis grinned, swallowing the guilt.
"I see that." Maxwell smiled.
"Did you also come here for the Panis focacius?" Remembering the taste of the divine dish, Adonis drooled.
"Yeah, We're just waiting for our food." Sharing Adonis's gluttonous tendencies, Maxwell fought the urge to drool.
"We?"
"Yeah..." Turning his head clockwise, Maxwell looked at a table where two people sat peacefuly.
"You're here with Veda and Jerald?" Recognizing the people seated at the table Maxwell was looking at, Adonis raised his eyebrows.
"Yep, but I kind of feel like a third wheel."
"Third wheel? Does that mean that they?"
'They're fifteen and already dating?! Does that mean Adonis will also start soon?' Eavesdropping over the boy's conversation, Hiram grew agitated.
Adonis pointed at the couple and furrowed his brows in confusion, trying to process what Maxwell was saying.
"Yep." He nodded.
"Huh!? When? How?" Intrigued by the possibility of an romantic love story, Adonis directed his full attention towards Maxwell.
"They said it 'just happened.' " Maxwell shrugged.
"Just happened?! I need more information than that." Adonis shook his head.
'Just happened?! This generation is bold.' Pretending to be disinterested, Hiram took another bite.
"That's what I said!"
"We need to get to the bottom of it." Adonis nodded.
"We do."
{When’d teenage boys start gossipping this much?}
'Lord Eos, you can't be a teenage boy and not gossip!'
"By the way Donny, I thought you said you didn't have any siblings..." Turning his head, Maxwell looked at Hiram then back at Adonis.
"I don't?" He shrugged.
"You and assistant Hiram have the same last name? I thought it was a coincidence at first but now that I see you together..."
"Well, Hiram's my wife... Well techinically my fi-"
"She's your what?!"
"My fiancee?"
"I heard you! But how?!" He's voice full of envy, Maxwell studied the two of them.
"It was an arranged marriage." Adonis shrugged, trying to sell the idea.
"Congrats Donny! You should've told me." He grinned.
"Wait!" His tone suddenly turning solemn, Maxwell gripped Adonis' shoulders tightly and leaned in.
"What?"
"You can't let Vera know!" He whispered.
"Vera? Why would she care?"
"Don't tell me you're that dense Adonis, Vera i-"
"Vera is what?" From behind Maxwell, a sweet, feminine voice laced with aggression questioned sharply.
"Vera is amazing and I think you two should be much closer!" Stricken with fear, Maxwell turned around nervously, his eyes meeting Veda's as she stood behind him, her blue eyes ignited.
"You better not be gossiping about my sister!" Veda screamed, without regard for the setting they were in.
"Of course not... I was just telling Adonis about how worried we all were. Hehe." Averting his eyes from the girl's intense gaze, Maxwell wiped the bead of sweat running down his forehead.
"Are you lying?!" She screamed.
"Of course not... Right Donny?" Maxwell turned his head, using his eyes to silently plead with Adonis for support.
'Don't bring me into this!'
"Yeah, I was just saying how I wanted to see her soon. Y'know." Despite his reluctance, Adonis decided to support Maxwell and stepped in to intervene.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
'He wants to see me?!' Pretending she didn't hear Adonis's words, Vera suppressed a squeel and spoke rather calmly.
"Hm? Vindicta, you're here?" She asked
"Oh, hey Vera. You're back from the bathroom?" Seeing this as an opportunity get out of hot water, Maxwell greeted the twin with red hair and eyes warmly.
"Hm? Vera? I'm glad you're here." Adonis smiled.
'Now I can properly apologize for ignoring her yesterday.'
'He's glad I'm here?! Does that mean he likes me?!' Hearing Adonis's words, Vera's crimson eyes lit up, reshaping themselves into large hearts, brimming with joy.
'He's not good enough for her.' Veda puffed, noticing the expression on her sister's face.
"Don't you think we should go, we shouldn't interrupt Adonis on his date." Bothered by the sight of Adonis, Jerald decided to stir up the situation and took Veda back to the table.
"Date?" Hearing the boy's words, Vera's heart seemed to stop, a large lump formed in her throat.
"No, we're not on a date." Hiram chuckled, waving her arms in a dismissive gesture, her face turning a bright shade of red, clearly embarressed.
'Who the hell is she!?' Vera fought the urge to rip out Hiram's throat.
'?' Adonis arched his brows.
"Why do you guys have to go to a different table? Why don't we just all eat together?" Adonis asked, ignoring the date debate.
"No." As Adonis's words reached Jerald's ears, he scowled deeply while continuing to walk toward the table.
Hearing the boy's words, everyone turned their heads in his direction, each wearing a confused expression.
"I-I mean, we no we shouldn't leave." He chuckled nervously.
{That doesn't even make sense.}
***
2 hours later.
After a long meal filled with awkard interations, endearing humor and a bit of messy eating, Adonis, Hiram, Maxwell, Vera, Veda, and Jerald settled their bill left the restuarant.
The group of teenages and a young lady, wandered through the mesmorizing city of Hero, leisurely strolling along its stone streets.
As they strolled they admired the stunning architecture that adorned the buildings and indulged in the simple hoy of conversing and window shopping.
***
At the same time, at the academy.
"This is disgraceful... How did a filthy elf slip in?!" Elder Slyhead, an old man with blue eyes, spat.
"It doesn't make sense, the body scan should've detected the magic skins." Elder van Crops, a fat short old man, thought.
"It couldn't have malfunctioned."Edler Syvian, a middle aged woman with brown hair, concluded.
"True, its highly unlikely; the margin of error for magic is zero, unless the magic circle was flawed or tampered with."Elder van Love, a lady in her late twenties with Pink eyes, agreed.
"How'd she manage to pass the background check?" Elder Lez, a middle aged woman with blonde hair, asked.
"We don't know, her forged identity was that of a noble and all the details checked out, it doesn't make sense." Elder van Ox, an old man with brown hair and green eyes, said calmly.
"All these measures couldn't fail multiple times for multiple people, something is off here." Elder Mars interjected, his voice standing out among the sea of Elders.
"What're you implying?" Elder van Ox asked.
"It's obvious, there's a mole among the academy's staff..."The PTC replied bluntly.
"Even so, no regular professor or worker should be able to accomplish the feat of nullifying or measures." Elder Lez determined.
"Exactly." Elder Syvian agreed.
"That only makes the situation much worse." Elder van Crops thought.
"How so?" Elder van Love asked.
"Then the mole is likely in a high position. Meaning they are probably in this room." Elder Mars spoke with solemnity, his piercing red eyes scanning each elder, sending a shiver down the spine of every person in the room.
"Preposterous!"
"Are you suspecting us brat?!"
KNOCK KNOCK
"Maybe we can get some answers now." Elder Mars grinned, ignoring the growing tension in the meeting room.
"Enter." Elder Slyhead commanded.
Following the elder's command, Amber Shine entered the meeting chamber.
"Good afternoon Elders." Bowing her head politely, Amber greeted the adults seated around the crescent-shaped table, noticing the one vacant seat among them.
'Elder Hercules isn't here...'
"The old man is at a meeting in Minerva right now, don't worry he'll be updated accordingly."Elder Mars clarified.
"Okay."
"We shouldn't waste any time, proceed." Elder van Love commanded.
"Tell us everything."
"I didn't get to find much out other than she was a spy along with her comrades..." Amber said firmly, trying to recall any minor detail that would prove useful.
"Did you atleast get to find out the Empire she belonged to? Elder Slyhead asked.
"No sir."
"What about the kid who defeated her?"
"Vindicta sir, Adonis Vindicta. He is ranked 7th among the rising stars."
"Who?" Elder Syvian asked.
"The cocky brat who forfeited before fighting the goblin warrior." Elder van Crops spat.
"Him? But you said Wendy was 10th Tier High Rank. And he defeated her?" Elder Lez asked.
"Yes sir, and notably he went on to kill multiple White Rank Magic Beasts and Monsters all by himself."
"All by himself?" Elder Syvian asked.
"Hehe." Elder Mars chuckled.
"Doesn't that mean he could've gathered some intel, he spent the most time with her after all." Elder van Ox asked.
"He doesn't." Elder Mars dissmissed the idea.
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because I asked him." He shrugged.
***
At an unknown place, at an unknown time.
"How did the first year outing go at the Hero City magic academy?" A figureless distorted voice lacking any emotion asked.
"There were naturally many tragedies, but there were quite a few surprises I might say." An identical distorted voice answered.
"Surprises?"
"Yes sir, the arbor abominations we enhanced were as predicted a huge problem for a majority of students, but quite a few students managed to deal with them."
"Who were these students? "
"As expected the Rising Stars proved to be quite resilieant. Toni Modster and Flora Evergreen, student from Class 1A also surprised us."
"Hmm, Toni. He's a commoner is he not?"
"Yes sir, one who despises the Gods..."
"Then he is automatically eliminated as a candidate."
"Fair..."
"Based off of their performance, points and personality there are five students who are ideal." The subordinate continued.
"Who are they? We should temporarily add them to our shortlist. "
"Jerald Cecil, Flora Evergreen, John van Ani, Lutz van Alexia and Adonis P. Vindicta, naturally I've ommitted Tarzy Goliath, Marie Jupiter and Amber Shine."
"Vindicta? I don't recall any noble houses by that name."
"Yes sir, he is a commoner. But among the first years he's proved to be the strongest and has been openly loyal to the Gods, all qualities we need."
"Very well, keep him on the shortlist... We'll need to weed it out soon."