There was no suspense. Dematero and Jimmy, who were chatting cheerfully, were caught in the act by Emmanuel—prime examples of students not taking self-study seriously.

  Once Emmanuel, the veteran teacher, locked eyes on his targets, he entered the cssroom through the back door like a lightning bolt. The noisy room fell silent instantly.

  First, Emmanuel approached Jimmy’s desk. With a sharp rap on the surface, he motioned for Jimmy to stand and leave the room.

  Next, Emmanuel turned his attention to Dematero. With a stern expression, he reached over and pinched the back of Dematero’s neck, mimicking the grip of someone handling a small bird. Although no real force was applied, Emmanuel’s grim demeanor struck a chord with the css. Some students felt sympathy for Dematero, while others couldn’t help but find the spectacle amusing.

  Dematero, being led out in this dramatic fashion, had no choice but to follow. Emmanuel was clearly preparing to unleash his full wrath on these two boys who had flouted the rules of self-study.

  As Emmanuel made his entrance, another student, Xanthia, was caught off guard. She had been engrossed in a manga but quickly tucked it away once Dematero was caught. Reaching for a literary cssic unique to this parallel world, she began reading with an air of calmness and natural ease.

  Despite her composed demeanor, Xanthia couldn’t help but feel disappointed. The cssic was nowhere near as entertaining as her manga. While timeless works often carry depth and require patience, they cked the immediate enjoyment of lighthearted, mindless fun.

  Even so, Xanthia maintained her fa?ade. Despite her privileged background, she knew better than to appear too arrogant as a high school student.

  Emmanuel’s sharp eyes noticed her actions. His gaze lingered, and for a moment, it seemed he might confiscate her manga on the spot. However, he ultimately turned away. Xanthia was a student he had long dismissed as a lost cause—one he no longer deemed worth correcting.

  Meanwhile, Jimmy, standing outside the cssroom awaiting his punishment, observed the scene with growing irritation. His frustration boiled over into anger.

  Why does Emmanuel get away with such btant double standards?Why is the world so unfair?

  Jimmy’s mind raced with negative emotions. Though Xanthia hadn’t directly provoked him, she had unwittingly become the focus of his resentment. If anyone else had been caught reading a manga, Emmanuel would have confiscated it without hesitation, possibly even calling them out of the cssroom.

  In Emmanuel’s world, scolding a student was a mark of his belief in their potential for improvement. When it came to Xanthia, however, he simply turned a blind eye. Her privileged status allowed her to navigate the system effortlessly—what was there for her to fear?

  "Dematero, why did you turn around during self-study to talk to Jimmy?" Emmanuel demanded coldly in the hallway. His voice was thin and sharp, like a bde slicing through the tense air.

  Dematero, usually bold enough to grin at other teachers, faced Emmanuel with an expression of genuine remorse. Stifling his fear, he replied with utmost seriousness, "Teacher Emmanuel, I was wrong! I got tired of doing homework and couldn’t resist chatting with Jimmy to rex..."