"TO THE ASSEMBLY AREA. NOW," the principal anded firmly.

  Fear gripped them both as they accepted their fate. The principal, his expression thunderous, marched them to the school assembly area where every student had already gathered. Ren and the girl felt the heat of embarrassment flood their faces, their shame magnified by the tless eyes watg them—students, teachers, and the principal himself.

  Adding insult to injury, the principal's voied through the silence, "NOW, stand there, in front of everyone."

  As the clouds darken, The girl lowered her gaze, clearly mortified. Ren, however, did the opposite. He gnced around, meeting the stares directed their way. Whispers flitted through the crowd. Some students exged amused gnces, a few boys stifling their ughter behind cupped hands.

  The principal snapped, "SHUT IT. Who gave you permission to make noise?"

  Silence fell like a hammer. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode toward his office, leaving them to stand there, exposed and humiliated.

  Minutes dragged by. Ren cast a hesitant g the girl beside him. She stood stiffly, her hands csped together, eyes still glued to the ground. Their bags had bee behind, fotten in the chaos.

  Guilt g his mind. "Maybe if she hadn't helped me, she would've made it on time..." His expression darkened, disappoi mingling with regret.

  A student's hushed voice broke the quiet. "The principal finally returned with the Almighty Soulkiller, a well-made e. Its in is said to be from the Celestial Realm itself." Said him, dramatically.

  His friend elbowed him, hissing, "BRO, SHUT UP."

  The principal took his seat, and the assembly resumed as if nothing had happened. After ten agonizing minutes and a series of annous by the Headmaster, students were dismissed back to their csses—except for Ren and the girl.

  "You two, e here," the principal ordered, the e resting in his grip. "Why were you te? You better have a valid excuse."

  "We—" Ren started, but the principal cut him off.

  "Excuses! More excuses!" he barked.

  fused, Reated. "B-but, Principal, you asked for the reason—"

  "ENOUGH. Give me your hand. Open your palm."

  Dread coiled in Ren's stomach as he slowly lifted his hand.

  Out of nowhere, a soothing, motherly voiterrupted, firm yet calm. "Hold on, Mr. Principal."

  The tension shifted. The Headmaster stepped forward, her presenstantly softening the suffog atmosphere. "Why don't we hear their reasoning first? As the Principal, you must demonstrate wisdom rather than rushing to clusions."

  Shocked, the principal straightened. "Uh—Miss Headmaster?... I uand. Five my harshness."

  The Headmaster approached them, her kind gaze nding on Ren first. "My lovely child, why were you te today?"

  Ren swallowed his nerves and expined his chaotic m—especially the cockroat. The Headmaster chuckled, her ughter light and genuine. Even the principal let out a small amused huff, and Ren caught the girl's fleeting smile.

  "My child, no more tardiness, alright? Now, return to your css," the Headmaster said gently.

  Ren nodded. "Alright... Teach..."

  The Headmaster then turo the girl. "And you, honey? Why were you te?"

  The girl hesitated, lips parting slightly, struggling for words. Before she could speak, Ren stepped forward.

  "Teach! I'm sorry, but she was te because of me."

  The Headmaster's brows lifted. "Oh? Expin."

  The girl's eyes wide his ued fession.

  "She would've made it on time if I hadn't asked for her help. I saw her riding a two-seat bicycle and asked for a ride, but I colpsed trying to catch up. I don't know what deyed her before, but it was mostly my fault she didn't arrive on time." He took a deep breath. "So if you have to punish someone, punish me. Please, five her. Without her kindness, I might not even be here yet."

  A stunned silence followed. The Headmaster turo the girl, seeking firmation.

  "Is that true, honey?"

  The girl, still processing his words, nodded. "Uh—yes. That's correct."

  The Headmaster smiled warmly. "In that case... Alright, both of you may return to your csses."

  "Really? Thank you!" they excimed in unison.

  As they retrieved their bags, Ren turo wave goodbye, but the girl's friend had already e to collect her. She walked away in the opposite dire, her pace steady. Ren lingered for a moment, thinking she hadn't noticed him.

  But she had. She caught his refle in a nearby dng at him briefly before her friend pulled her into versation.

  —

  Standing outside his , Reated. Taking a deep breath, he khe teacher granted him entry, and as expected, tless eyes turned his way. The whispers began immediately.

  As he made his way to his seat, a boy stuck out his leg, attempting to trip him. Reed instantly, lifting his foot just in time to avoid the trap. The teacher scolded the culprit, but his friends snickered quietly. Ren ighem, fog instead on the lesson.

  —

  The bell rang. Recess. Forty minutes.

  Alone in the , Ren clutched his stomach. "Man... I'm starving..." His expression twisted into a goofy, exaggerated frown.

  A soft, familiar whisper echoed. "Oi... psst... hey..."

  Startled, he looked around before spotting a figure peeking through the back door. His eyes lit up in reition.

  "Uhh—AH! HEY, YOU GOT ME FOO—"

  "SHHHHHHH!" The girl whisper-yelled, her face burning with embarrassment. "Lower your voice!"

  Uanding the assig, Ren dramatically lowered his voice. "Okay... I'm sorry..."

  The girl motioned him over. Without hesitatirabbed his book and followed her. Like silent ninjas, they navigated the school's alleyways, avoiding any unwatention.

  Behind the teen, she gestured for him to wait before slipping away. Ren nodded and opened his book, absorbed by its tents—ret stific breakthroughs, studies on neurons, physics, astronomy. He loved how the visuals made plex topics more digestible.

  After a few minutes, she reappeared, sneaking beside the wall.....

  "BAH!" she suddenly jumped out.

  "EGH!" Ren flinched.

  "Teehee~ Here." She handed him a small package. "It's nothing fancy. I don't have much money."

  Curious, Ren uned it. "FRIED CHI DRUMSTICK? Wuooooo, thanks!"

  She smiled at his excitement. "What're you reading?"

  "Oh? This? Just some sce stuff—neurons, physics, astronomy, but it's outside our sylbus."

  She raised a brow. "Oh... you're into seeking things beyond? Hey, follow me to the old school library after this."

  "Uh?" Ren tilted his head but shrugged. "Alright."

  Few moments ter, as usual, they silently walk to the destination. Avoiding any unwatention especially what had happehat m.

  Halfway through, the dark clouds finally let go, sending rain down to the earth as the girl expined,

  "The school have 2 libraries. The old and new one. Both are still on service but the old one is harder to access si's located backkkk there. You also 't just e as you like."

  As they reaother er, she eborates,

  "However, the old library tains much more information especially from old times. Yes, before the first catastrophic event happen 3 decades ago. Not the case for the new ohough"

  As they get closer, she says,

  "Isn't it iing why that's the case? There's so much valuable information that younglings learn. Also, You're not from here right?"

  Ren, full of question, "How'd you know? It's true that I transferred here but I never says anything about from where I am?"

  As an act of respond, "It's obvious, you look a little different from the average. Besides many pces on the world were inhabitable sihe Catastrophic Event, so people o find somewhere atleast safer."

  "Anyway, I have a "e" so we access the library's tent without legit reasons"

  "WOAAAAA... "e"? So cooool." Ren plimented.

  "HeHe" the girl chuckled proudly.

  "Here, let's just starts to walk slowly now.... WAIT" The girl startled.

  Out of the blue. A very tall man in a bck suit exited the library. He o lowered his head to pass throught the doorframe.

  Both of them froze, hiding as he walked past.

  "That guy... what's he doing here...," she whispered.

  Ohe coast was clear,

  "I don't remember seeing anyone like that throughout our school..." Ren responded.

  "Yea.... Me too... Let's go, hurry." she replied.

  Ohey've entered...

  They froze.

  The library was empty. pletely empty.

  The girl is Fbbergasted, panic set in . "WHAT?! WHEN—HY—WHERE—Miss May?? Hello?"

  Ren, fused. "Why is it so empty? And who's Miss May?"

  Still in disbelief, the girl says, "I don't know... The library has always been normal for months, perhaps even years. Miss May is one of the staff that's managing thispce."

  Surprised, Ren respond, "Perhaps? Oh so you're kinda new here too?"

  The Girl says, "Y- Yeah. I fot to mention that but anyway, What happened here??"

  As they searg for clues on what happened ihe library, the one used to be full of knowledge now just another emptiness vast space. They noticed a book, one and only one was left behind below a ra the backside of the library.

  After a while, they've finally recovered it.

  The girl, full of curiosity, "What's this?"

  As fused as the girl, Ren, "Hold o me clear the dust"

  Ren mao clear out all the dust and debris that's c the entire book.

  Finally being able to see it better, Ren decided to try read the title of the book slowly,

  "The Experiment of Mortal's.......Assion...Through...Seven!..."

  "Huh?..."