Chapter 552 - Melting into Spring (1)

I narrowed my eyes, knowing it was a threat. I wasn't going to willingly return to that place since I would be confined again. The gatekeeper repaired everything, meaning I could stay in my dorm room. But Luke could follow me there and make my life miserable, free from the eyes of other people. I had to stay with my friends to avoid Luke. Searching for a familiar face, I walked towards Oili when I noticed him near the front of the crowd.

"Can I stay in your dorm room for a while?" I pretended Luke wasn't behind me.

"Let me ask my partner," Oili noticed Luke was close to killing me.

"I apologize for the trouble. Rika will not be returning to school for a while," Luke was asking to cancel the message.

"We have nothing to do with each other," I was hinting he could continue writing the message..

"I will go easier on you if you come with me now Rika," Luke whispered into my ear.

"You will have to drag me there since I will never willingly return to that horrible place," I waved his offer away.

Surprisingly, before I could react, he actually pulled my dress near the back of my neck to drag me towards the teleportation gate. My mind went blank as I discovered myself inside the mansion again after a few blinks. And since we weren't in front of other people anymore, he instantly changed. I knew he was mad but not to the point his entire face went emotionless, his eyes cold and ruthless. It didn't compare to where he had threatened me that he would seal more than three quarters of my mana.

"I want to know all the facts you're hiding from me," he was showing me his patience was thin.

"Why should I tell you? You're going to confine me either way," I knew what the result would be.

"You have two options Rika. The first one is where you tell me everything and return to school after two weeks. The second one is where we will return to school after a month," Luke was admitting I may be right.

"And do you think you deserve to be let go after playing with us like that?" Alex joined us, coming from the same teleportation gate.

"No sealing my mana and I can tell you all the facts about this incident," I began to negotiate.

"Then we return to school after three weeks," Luke could predict I was hiding something that he would disapprove.

"Deal," I knew it wouldn't get better than this.

Unexpectedly, Charles returned to the mansion to join us, sitting across from Alex. We were inside a small living room on the second floor since it was better than staying in the lobby. Before the discussion began, I ordered some tea to help me with my nerves. The room was silent as I waited for the drinks to come. Knowing I was stalling for time, Luke began to lightly tap his foot to show he was waiting for me to begin.

"Where do you want me to begin?" I quickly planned to only answer the questions they asked.

"How were you able to do all those spells? I know this isn't the mana you normally possess," Alex was the first one to ask.

"I unlocked the restraints that's supposed to unlock once I turn sixteen for twenty minutes," I tried to keep things vague.

"What was the condition?" Luke immediately noticed what was missing.

"I have to be in an extreme circumstance to the point I will die without the restraint unlocking," I didn't want to reveal this.

I stiffened as I watched Luke's face begin to flush into furious red, eyes reddening from incoming tears. His hands gripping onto the sofa slightly trembled, trying to hold back from lashing out. Luke always had a good control on his emotions, able to hide what he was thinking in front of others. However, everything had unraveled with only the people he could trust watching him. Letting both Alex and Charles accurately pinpoint his feelings from taking a single glance at his face.

"How could you Rika?" Alex yelled at me for him.

"Didn't everything work out in the end?" I couldn't look at their faces.

"Are you serious Rika?" He raised his voice.

"I knew I wouldn't die!" I fought back.

"Nothing was guaranteed," he pointed out.

"I know you dislike us, but have you ever thought of things in our perspective? The people who care and want the best for you," Alex started to resemble Luke.

"Well, you don't have to care anymore. It's annoying," I faintly mumbled.

I was the most powerful person here. Only I had the ability to save everyone from Charlotte. They didn't have enough mana to fend against her while we couldn't stay in this mansion forever to avoid her. I had solved the entire problem for them and they were yelling at me for it. It made me feel mad since they never acknowledged my efforts.

"You should leave her alone. She doesn't appreciate anything," Charles turned to them.

"You should listen to him about leaving me alone. I'm the strongest one here. Out of everyone, I have the highest chance in winning in these kinds of fights," I reminded them.

"Do you take us as fools? Do you think you would still be alive without us nursing you back to health everytime?" Alex was close to rising from his chair.

"I would still be alive. I have the second chance card with me," I bluffed.

"The second chance card?" Alex confusedly turned to Luke.