Chapter Seven:
Suddenly, right in front of my eyes, one of the girls placed her foot on Julia's shoulder while she was on the ground. Then she bent down slightly and grabbed her by the hair harshly, saying in a voice full of contempt:
"What did you say, you little slut?"
I froze in place as I looked at her.
I couldn't move or even speak. It felt as if my body had suddenly become heavy, as if the words had disappeared from my mouth. The scene was brutal, and Julia didn't try to resist. She was only trying to protect her head with her hands.
At that moment, the girls noticed Maya and me entering the bathroom. One of them turned and looked at us with a cold stare that sent shivers through my body.
Before I could do anything, Maya grabbed my hand tightly and pulled me outside quickly. We stepped into the hallway, and she closed the door behind us. I bent slightly, placing my hands on my knees as I tried to breathe slowly.
I said:
"Maya… why did we leave?"
She turned to me quickly and said:
"Are you crazy? Did you see how scary they are?"
I couldn't respond. I felt something heavy in my chest. It was a feeling of shame. I knew what happened was wrong, but I didn't do anything to stop it.
I said in a low voice:
"But she needed help."
Maya fell silent for a moment, then said:
"We can't get involved in everything here."
I looked at her, then asked:
"Maya… isn't your clan made up of ghouls? You're strong, right?"
She shook her head and said:
"No, actually we're the weakest among all classifications because of our lack of influence in this world."
I was surprised by what she said. She seemed strong compared to me.
Then she added with a faint smile:
"And my level is average, so I can't stand against all of them."
If she was among the weakest category, then what would I be? A question crossed my mind and remained unanswered.
After that, we went our separate ways, each heading to their own section.
I entered the classroom and sat in my seat, waiting for the lesson to begin. The room was quiet; some students were talking, while others were looking at their phones.
After a few minutes, the door opened and Professor Lucas entered.
The moment I saw him, I forgot everything I had been thinking about. As usual, he looked elegant and calm, but his presence was strong in a way that drew attention effortlessly.
His long hair was tied back, and his horns gleamed slightly under the classroom lights. He stood confidently in front of the board and began arranging some papers.
I felt my heart beating faster.
At that moment, the door opened again, and Julia entered late. Her face was covered with light bruises, and some of her hair looked messy.
She quietly walked to her seat and sat next to me without looking at anyone.
I felt sad seeing her like that. I leaned a little closer and said in a low voice while Professor Lucas began explaining the lesson:
"Hey Julia… are you okay? You should go to the infirmary."
She looked at me suddenly and said coldly:
"No, thanks."
I was surprised by her response. Her tone was full of anger.
I didn't understand the reason. Was it because I ignored her when she was being bullied? Maybe… and maybe she was right to be angry.
After that, I chose to stay silent and looked back at the board.
Professor Lucas was explaining some mathematical rules related to magical energy. I didn't understand much, but I tried to follow the lesson.
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed somewhere inside the academy. I quickly covered my ears and bent down slightly, but strangely, everyone in the classroom remained calm. They didn't seem worried at all.
Professor Lucas raised his head slightly and said calmly:
"It seems the combat class has started."
One of the students shouted excitedly from the back:
"Yes! This is the best part of the academy!"
Some students laughed, while a girl raised her hand and asked:
"Professor, what is your combat level?"
Professor Lucas smiled slightly and said:
"My level? It's Monster."
The students gasped all at once.
Some of them started praising him and talking about how strong he was, as if what he said was something impressive. As for me, I remained silent, not understanding anything that was happening.
I leaned slightly closer to Julia and said quietly:
"What does that mean?"
Julia looked at me in surprise and said:
"Are you really a vampire and don't know this?"
Then she added:
"How were you even accepted into the academy in the first place?"
I felt embarrassed at that moment and didn't find anything to say. I stayed silent and looked forward again.
After the class ended, I headed with Maya to the cafeteria. The place was crowded as usual, and the students were sitting in different groups. We sat at a table near the window. I was talking with Maya about the lessons when a movement at the entrance caught my attention.
Kevin entered with his group.
The moment he appeared, all eyes turned toward him. He walked with clear confidence, as if the whole place was used to his distinct presence. Even Maya stopped talking and looked at him.
She said excitedly:
"Wow… that's Kevin. He looks very handsome."
I looked at her and said:
"What? Do you like him?"
She nodded and said:
"Yes."
Then she leaned in a little and said:
"Look, Iris… that beautiful girl over there is Princess Sophia, Prince Kevin's fiancée."
I looked in the direction Maya pointed, where a girl was standing next to him tall, with long silver hair reaching the middle of her back. Her skin was very pale, and her eyes shone calmly.
I sighed and said:
"She's very beautiful."
Maya said with a smile:
"Yes, she is. She's our princess."
Then I suddenly exclaimed in surprise:
"But she doesn't look like you! She doesn't have green skin or a strange appearance!"
Maya laughed and said:
"That's because she's half vampire."
I looked at Sophia again. Her presence was calm, yet she drew attention easily. She was speaking quietly with Kevin while the rest of the students watched from afar. I felt something strange inside me as I looked at them. It wasn't jealousy, but a vague feeling I couldn't explain.
I looked back at my plate, trying to ignore the thought.