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“Can’t you see? This friend you have valued for all these years….. He was the daemon!”

Cermin shook his head, and pushed him away.

“No! I don’t believe it….. Ronin was my best friend! He was there for me when I need most and he did nothing but to care for me!”

Zeriav was hurt for being pushed like this, even when he did not fall down or anything. His heart ached with how manipulated the prince had become because of this daemon’s schemes.

“Your Highness, listen to me—“

“I can’t believe you never changed, Zeriav.” Cermin said. “Even after all these years…”

“You are still so possessive of me.”

Zeriav blinked. “What….. But I…..”

Cermin looked away with his fist clenched and face scrunched, as if it was difficult for him to say these words too. But he believed it was needed to be said.

“You tried to pull me away from Marigold, and now you’re doing the same with Ronin. I really want to be friends with you like before….. But you can’t keep going on like this. Trying to ruin others just so I would stay close to you.”

Zeriav erupted from this. “This isn’t what this was about at all! Your Highness, there are bigger things at stake! And I can prove it!”

Cermin shook his head, and walked past him. “No more, Zeriav. Just go. It pains me to deal with people like you.”

He really could not stand people to cling to him too much.

Not because he does not appreciate what they do for him at all… But because he knows how much envy can ruin someone. Ruin relationships.

His gege too was overcome with envy. His gege hated his family, his friends, and his girlfriend…

Because…..

He wanted Min Cheng’s attention and favor so much. To the point of obsession.

But after that whole imprisonment….. That love for his friend had turned to hatred that was just as obsessive.

That was why dealing with clingy people had become traumatic for Min Cheng. Because he knows very well that if he did not give this person the endless attention and affection that they wanted from him….

It will become hatred that seeks to completely ruin him.

He does not want Zeriav to be that same monster, but it seemed it was too late. And in his mind, the only solution was to run away.

“Your Highness! Just wait for a moment!” Zeriav ran after him, holding something in his hand

“What is that?” Cermin’s eyes widened as Zeriav presented the small box that looked like a ring box…..

Got on one knee, and opened it.

“Please wear this!” Zeriav exclaimed. “Then you will know the truth!”

But Cermin was terrified by what’s he thought could be in the box, and knocked it away before he can see what’s inside.

CRASH!

The Obsidian Heartstone Glass shattered to pieces.

Zeriav had a look of terror once his only hope to prove had crashed into the floor.

Cermin was also shocked when he saw glass shattering. He went down to pick it up.

“I… I’m sorry….. I thought it was a ring and— What is that?”

Zeriav kneeled to take it all. “No, no, no…. No….. I was so close…..”

“Maybe it can be fixed?” Cermin now felt sorry seeing Zeriav so distraught about this thing. “Was this supposed to be a gift for me….. Some glasses or jewel or— I don’t…. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s the only way for you to know the truth… It’s gone. I risked everything for it and it’s gone…..”

Zeriav had taken the broken shards and held them close until his hands bleed.

“Zeriav! What are you doing!? Go to the infirmary now!” Cermin said in worry, and shook him out of it.

But Zeriav looked like he had lost everything just from losing this glass.

Because he had stolen it from the Head Councillor, and once the Councillor found out…..

He would be kicked out again. Possibly permanently banished from ever stepping foot in the Academy.

He would not be able to stop Ronin anymore. And that daemon’s grip around the prince will just keep on tightening.

—————————–

“No….” Edelweiss cried on Calla’s shoulder as Lady Verita regrettably showed them the broken Heartstone Glass.

“Perhaps it can be fixed or made again.” Even Lady Verita was feeling distraught about it and apologetic.

But never as much as the hunched Demetri priest sitting in front of her in her office.

Calla spoke for the sobbing Edelweiss. “No….. It’s not possible to fix it or make a new one in time. Edelweiss spent years crafting and perfecting that glass. Obsidian was very difficult to deal with a shape, and it had to be as thin as possible to be effective.”

“Not to mention that the little automaton that identified it must have been ruined too, and that one took so much painstaking effort every single day to perfect.”

Lady Verita nodded. “I’m sorry, ladies. It was stolen, and I should have realized sooner.”

Zeriav was still looking down.

Calla looked at the priest. “Why did you steal it?”

Zeriav refused to answer, but Lady Verita used her Mage Focus on him.

“Speak, boy. You are the one who had ruined this young lady’s invention after all. Her life work.”

“I wanted to show the prince.” He said with gritted teeth.

Calla knew immediately why he did it, and sighed.

“We are on the same side after all, and it’s a shame we didn’t know and ended up both suffering a loss.”

Lady Verita looked at them grimly. “It was stolen for good intentions, but it is still a travesty, nonetheless. You ladies can ask for compensation…..”

“While I will ask Zeriav’s benefactor to decide whether he can stay in the Academy or not.”

Zeriav never knew who it was that allowed him back here, who recommended him to be the astrologist for the New Era. He had thought it must be Councillor Rozenaur because he was the head of the Monks after all…..

But as the door opened, his heart dropped. And guilt sunk in that hole it left.

“Sister Rozenaur.” Lady Verita said. “What is your verdict?”

She looked at Zeriav with great pain, as she wiped a tear…..

But also great hatred.

“I am close friends with Edelweiss. I know how much this invention mattered to her. I may not understand the specifications, but I have seen her lost sleep and write until her fingers go numb just for it.”

“And I have also found out…..” She added, looking at Zeriav spitefully. “That you have kept Elur, the Monk you kept as an apprentice, locked up all alone in the Temple of Rain and unable to attend the parade to do your work for you.”

She heaved. “How could you let a little boy suffer so much!? I have found him unconscious with water overflowing from the machine, he knocked his head on it.”

She was about to hit Zeriav…..

But could not do it, and had instead clenched her hand that she was supposed to use to slap him. Drawing blood.

There was so much pain in her voice as she continued to lecture him.

“You have hurt two people in one day. Two people who had done nothing wrong to you, who I valued very much. All Edelweiss have worked for, you ruined. And Elur! Poor Elur is hurt, and it was because of your absence!”

“You were supposed to look after him! He was just a young boy wanting to gain your praise and work under your guidance, bur because of your negligence, this happened to him!”

Zeriav gritted his teeth. “He is not a young boy! You are all making a mistake if you let that daemon stay here!”

“No more! I have given you another chance, and yet even now, you still would not repent for the consequences of your actions.”

Marigold was usually a frail little lady. But she was in no way a weak damsel at heart.

For the sake of those innocent and for those who matter very much to her, she was willing to do anything. Even to make difficult decisions that will cause people to hate her.

And she knows this will cause Zeriav to hate her more, but it was needed. He was being too much.

“You must be right, Brother Mondstein. Some people don’t turn into butterflies. Some people instead turn into hideous moths.”

Zeriav’s eyes widened, as she delivered her verdict with a hardened gaze:

“Get out of this Academy and never return. Do not bring more pain and hurt the innocents around you.”

———————–

[Congratulations! You have gained 10,000 V-Points]

When Ronin woke up in the infirmary, he immediately saw this holographic screen.

His head hurt again. This was the second time that he received an announcement right after having an Ou flashback.

He really hated that. And after the flashback, he had this weird dream of drowning in water and becoming flowers himself that drowned in it.

But at least this meant…

That Zeriav would no longer be a threat. He had been rid off.

He can be at peace.

Or so he thought, not knowing there were bigger forces at work than a pesky priest.