The entire cafeteria fell silent at the Queen's arrival.
The atmosphere, which had already been tense, now seemed almost frozen. Hundreds of students stood motionless. No one dared to speak, and no one dared to continue their conversations. Even the employees behind the counter lowered their heads, trying their best not to attract any attention.
At the front stood Queen Fey.
Her tall, imposing figure was almost enough to make one feel as though they were standing before a goddess. Every movement she made was slow and composed, yet that very composure only made the pressure in the room feel heavier.
Fey looked over the chaotic scene before her.
Then she spoke.
"What is the meaning of this?"
It was only a simple question.
Yet the weight behind her voice made everyone nearby almost afraid to breathe.
Sopharie was the first to step forward. She bowed her head, her voice clearly carrying concern.
"Your Majesty… I can expl—"
Fey gently raised one hand.
Sopharie immediately stopped.
Without needing another word, she understood that the Queen wanted to find out what had happened herself.
Fey began walking toward Kai and Hansile.
Each of her footsteps echoed through the silent room.
Those standing nearby instinctively took a step back as she passed.
When Hansile saw Fey approaching, he immediately dropped to his knees.
His body became tense, and the aggression that had filled his face earlier was now replaced by nothing but fear.
"Y-Your Majesty… I…"
Fey raised her hand as well.
Hansile immediately fell silent.
Fey's gaze shifted toward Kai.
Kai was still trying to stand.
The lingering effects of Hansile's punch left his body dizzy. His head felt like it was being hammered, his ears were ringing, and his vision kept fading in and out.
Kai placed one hand against the ground and slowly pushed himself up.
He had absolutely no idea what was happening.
"My head… hurts so much…"
Kai raised a hand to his forehead, trying to steady his consciousness.
"What's going on…?"
Whispers began spreading throughout the crowd.
"That guy's crazy."
"So he wants to kill himself, huh?"
"He doesn't even bow before the Queen."
"How disrespectful."
Kai looked around.
He didn't understand why everyone was looking at him like that.
After a few seconds, his eyes finally settled on the woman standing before him.
A tall woman, nearly two meters in height, with a flawless figure and a face that radiated an indescribable sense of authority.
Fey looked down at Kai.
"Would you like to explain to me what is happening here?"
Kai looked around once more.
He saw Hansile kneeling beside him.
He saw the students surrounding them.
He saw Sopharie, Siva, and Ryusu standing behind them.
Finally, Kai looked back at Fey.
His expression gradually became serious.
"I was just trying to stop that guy from assaulting an innocent person…"
Immediately, protests erupted from the crowd.
"Hey, you! How dare you speak to the Queen as though you're her equal!?"
"What an idiot!"
"He has no manners at all!"
Fey's expression did not change.
She simply raised one hand.
Snap.
A shockwave instantly spread outward from Fey, passing through the crowd.
It was not powerful enough to injure anyone, but it was more than enough to silence every shout.
The cafeteria once again fell completely silent.
Fey looked down at Kai.
"You don't seem to be someone who understands his place."
Kai did not answer.
"Then tell me."
Fey slightly lowered her head.
"Why did you stand up to stop him, despite knowing that your fate could be extremely severe?"
Kai stared blankly at her.
The question took him several seconds to process.
But then the worry gradually disappeared from his face.
Kai looked directly at Fey.
"Fate?"
He lightly clenched his fist.
"My fate is mine alone to decide."
Kai glanced at Hansile.
"Not by anything else."
He turned back toward Fey.
"I stopped him because I can."
Kai shrugged slightly.
"That's all."
The entire room fell silent.
No one had expected Kai to answer the Queen like that.
Fey stared at him for several seconds.
Then she gave a slight nod.
"I see."
Fey turned around She walked toward the group of teachers.
As she passed Sopharie, Fey stopped.
She turned her head slightly.
"I am somewhat disappointed in the way you have been running this institution, Sopharie."
Sopharie immediately lowered her head.
"I… I apologize for this unexpected incident, Your Majesty."
Fey said nothing more.
She continued walking.
The knights accompanying her immediately followed.
Before long, the Queen and her guards had left the cafeteria.
Sopharie remained standing there for a moment.
Then she and the other teachers prepared to leave as well.
Before walking through the door, Sopharie leaned close to Siva's ear and quietly said a few words.
No one could hear what she said.
All they knew was that Sopharie then left the cafeteria, leaving Siva behind.
Siva turned to face all the students.
"I said everyone is to leave this cafeteria immediately."
No one moved.
Siva pointed toward Kai and Hansile.
"Except you two."
The students immediately understood.
One by one, they quickly left the cafeteria.
Before long, only Kai, Duke, Mike, Siva, and Hansile remained.
Siva looked at Duke and Mike.
"I said everyone except those two was to leave immediately."
Duke and Mike looked at each other.
Both of them were trembling.
But they remained where they were.
Mike swallowed nervously.
"No… we're staying."
Duke stared directly at Siva.
"What are you going to do to those two?"
Siva did not answer immediately.
She simply sighed.
And then—
In the next instant, Siva disappeared.
Duke and Mike did not even have time to react.
BAM!
A precise strike to the back of each of their heads.
Both immediately lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor.
Kai's eyes widened.
Hansile also stood frozen.
Neither of them had seen when Siva moved.
Siva was standing behind the two of them as though she had never left her original position.
She lightly brushed off her hand.
"Lady Sopharie instructed me to discipline you two idiots."
Siva glanced down at Duke and Mike.
"And not to kill you."
Kai looked at his two friends lying unconscious on the ground.
His expression immediately changed.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM!?"
Kai charged straight toward Siva.
But once again—
Siva disappeared.
Kai stopped.
Before he could even turn around, a hand grabbed his head.
BAM!
Siva slammed Kai into the ground.
"Here is a lesson for you."
Kai gritted his teeth.
"If you ever encounter someone of higher authority, you should kneel."
Kai tried to raise his head.
"Since when did—"
Before he could finish, Siva grabbed Kai and pulled him upright.
Then—
BOOM!
A punch struck him directly in the face.
Kai's body was sent flying across the cafeteria tables.
The tables were knocked aside.
Kai crashed hard onto the floor and lay unconscious.
Siva stood motionless.
"This feeling…"
She looked toward Kai.
"Regardless, one—"
Siva turned around.
Her gaze shifted toward Hansile.
Hansile was still standing there.
He stared at the scene in disbelief.
But very quickly, the fear disappeared.
Hansile clenched both fists.
"You think I'll go down as easily as those three useless idiots?"
He lowered his stance.
"TAKE THIS, YOU OLD HAG!"
Immediately, the muscles throughout Hansile's body visibly expanded.
The veins in his arms and neck bulged.
Siva simply watched.
"Try anything you want."
Hansile charged forward.
Siva charged as well.
The two figures collided in the middle of the cafeteria at incredible speed.
BOOM!
A shockwave spread throughout the room.
Hansile continuously threw punches and kicks at an extremely rapid pace.
"HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS, OLD WOMAN!?"
He gritted his teeth.
"Is this really all the strength a teacher has!?"
But Siva simply dodged.
The first punch.
The second kick.
Then one attack after another.
Not a single one managed to hit her.
Siva calmly slipped past every strike.
"Not bad…"
Hansile continued attacking.
"But…"
In one moment of carelessness—
Siva caught one of his arms.
Hansile's eyes widened.
Siva tightened her grip.
"…not enough."
CRACK!
The sound of breaking bone echoed through the cafeteria.
Siva broke Hansile's arm.
"AAAAARGH!"
She spun around and delivered a kick.
BOOM!
Hansile was sent flying, crashing hard onto the floor.
He lay motionless, one arm broken, blood coming from his mouth.
Hansile gasped for breath.
"No… way…"
He looked at his arm.
"I reinforced my body… to its absolute limit… and yet…"
Hansile's consciousness gradually faded.
Eventually, he passed out.
Siva stood still for a moment.
Then she raised a hand to one ear.
"The mission has been completed, Lady Sopharie."
She listened silently.
"Yes."
A brief pause.
"I understand."
Siva lowered her hand.
She turned around and prepared to leave the cafeteria.
But at that very moment—
Footsteps echoed through the room, followed by a hand suddenly being placed on Siva's shoulder.
Siva froze.
She hadn't sensed the person approaching her at all.
Siva immediately turned around.
Her eyes widened.
Kai was standing behind her.
His mouth was covered in blood.
His face was bruised and swollen.
His left arm was broken, hanging limply at his side.
His body trembled from the pain.
But his eyes—
They were frighteningly cold.
Siva stared at Kai.
Only one thought appeared in her mind.
This guy…
How is he…?