Chapter 457: Hidden Truth

'It's been a week and a few,' forearm over the head, the sun outside rose with the chirping of birds. 'I haven't seen them for a while,' thought Igna sat upright and peering to the left. The roommates slept with smiles and tired expressions. Time showed 05:55 on the 13th of Saturday. 'I'm beat. Who would have guessed being an assistant to be so hard? I was promoted from doing the dishes to cleaning the floor and serving area. I don't get if I'm supposed to be mad or not. I guess the weekly payment does make up for the job. 250 Exa to be precise. What can I even do with that?' 

"Good morning Igna," yawned Lampard on the upper-bunk,"-long time no see."

"Yeah, sorry about that?" he yawned as well; "-should we be talking so loudly?"

"Don't worry," the broad figure chuckled and leaped, "-they'll wake up soon." The landing was a cold hard slap of flesh against the marble. Yet, he seemed to not be bothered.

"Good morning, Lampard," coughed the mage at the abrupt landing.

"I'll hit the showers," proposed Lampard, "-want to come with, or are you going to sleep in?"

"I'll come," agreed Igna. 

Warm and gentle, the steamy water washed the week's tiredness away. "How was the adventuring going?"

"Killed a few monsters and got loot from it. A wolf fang goes for anywhere between 150 to 300 Exa."

'That's my pay in a single kill,' wondered he facing the showerhead. "What of you, Leonard, I overheard few things on the Military-Art class while working."

"Oh, yeah, we're fine considering. The rough treatment is something we've managed to overlook. Doesn't bother us anymore. Jen's had enough of fighting the improbable." In those words, the images of what happened weren't hard to imagine. Every day, the students of Group A and B, mainly the former, would harass those of Group C. Most of it was the perpetuation of rumors to the point where the teacher had to cross-check Rena privately. Her fierceness was what rescued them in the end – and soon, the teacher voiced that any act of unruly behavior be severely punished. It stopped for a while until Jen screwed up in a practical test. They were tasked to analyze the live-representation of a gun. Some thought it fun to conjure magic and destroy the model. She's been seen in a bad light ever since that day. The teacher doesn't acknowledge her presence and the students are to do whatever. On Friday when the trip to the Guild was planned, the teacher made sure she didn't come. Thus, her passage to the Azure walls on joint missions with other classes was cut.

"That's harsh," voiced he coming out of the showers. They went straight for the cafeteria where the girls sat with wet hair.

"Aren't boys supposed to be faster at changing attire?" jested Rena.

"Yeah well," they sat, "-can't do anything about that."

Jen's expression remained solemn silent. She would often gaze up then stare at the table. "Drop the sad expression," said Rena with a light push, "-everything's going to work out."

'We're being targeted,' in that spur of a moment, seeing her face felt as if a rock moved inside his body. 'What's the reason the Military-Arts class have turned against them. Why Rena and Jen – as far as I know, they're the only girls in that batch. The only girls, and pretty, are the boys trying to be idiots and claim hearts like that? No, impossible. Why did no one speak of the issue, why did Leonard say they gave up on fighting. Is there maybe a strong opponent in those groups, a noble or someone rich… The possibilities are endless.' His body was transported to a different realm, filled with blurry images, a place where Rena, Jen, Leonard, and Lampard laughed. 

"Is he ok?" wondered Rena frowning.

"I think?" shrugged Leonard, "-oi, Igna, are you ok?" 

"I got it," the dream broke with a shout.

"What's wrong with you dude?" wondered Lampard with reluctance. 

"I got it," he smiled, "-I have the solution."

"Solution to what?" inquired Jen breaking the silence.

"To the harassment in Military-Arts."

"You told him?" glared the girls, "-can't you keep a secret?"

"Why should I?" returned Leonard strongly, "-we've been roommates for more than a week. I'd like to think we are friends. Lampard is worried about you both too. Don't think we don't notice the soft whimpering at night, that goes double for you Rena. Our teacher is less than a reputable man, I shudder to think of what happened in that private fucking meeting. Do you understand?" 

"RENA!" the table echoed with Lampard's slam, "-WHAT DID THAT DAMN TEACHER DO!"

"Nothing," eye-contact broke for a second.

'Something's wrong, the girl who hated me doesn't break eye contact. It's only when she's lying or hiding embarrassment. I've noticed it more than a few times.' 

"DON'T YOU DARE BREAK THE FUCKING TABLE!" came the angered yell of the dorm-mother.

"Whatever," he glossed over her warning, "-RENA, tell me right now, what happened?"

"Please," interjected Jen, "-she's done so much to protect both of us. It's enough, the problem's going to fade away. Time heals all, doesn't it?"

"Don't you dare," glared Leonard, "-I've seen you get as hurt if not more than Rena. Those guys are ruthless, don't think I forgot about the time the teacher sent you on that errand with half of the class." 

'What the hell is wrong with the academy? Was this not the place for us to learn and become better. What deep routed secret is there in this place.' *Ding,* a faint vibration broke the focus.

'I suppose you must have noticed the wrongness of the Academy. People aren't safe, there are murders and more that could happen any second. Igna, my dear student, this is Haru's tip number 2, if you want to survive, make sure to be on the top of the food chain, no pun intended. I got the reports from the Chef, you'll start cooking next Monday. Also, Bobby will be transferred to the Ardanian branch, I heard of the abuse of power. Any questions?' came a message from the Guild Leader.

'Is there any rule preventing murder? Will we be held accountable if perhaps someone ends up dying. What are teachers like, what's the secret of the Academy.'

'If you kill, no trial will be held. The Academy only treats those who are strong with privilege. That's the policy of the Headmaster, the strong win, and the weak lose. I'm guessing that the girls of your Group were hurt in some way? Considering their strong, there's going to be competition. You're not only competing for a future but to be noticed by the upper-guilds. As for you, that doesn't apply since you're with me. Don't dare even think of transferring… I swear I'll be very disappointed. Anything else?'

'Is trial by combat authorized?'

'Yes.'

"Stop, stop… I don't want to talk about it anymore," gritted Rena, "-Lampard, let it go, I don't…"

"Guys," called he with a sudden change in intensity, "-I have an idea about how we can take care of the clique in Military-Arts."

"What exactly do you mean?" turned the boys.

"I'll need everyone's help to pull this off," a smug-like grin escaped, "-have you ever heard of Trial by Combat?"

"No?" they returned with empty stares.

"It's where two individual fights over whether one is right or wrong. If a murderer pleads TBC, then if he managed to kill the envoy of the judge, freedom is granted. The Academy has the same system in place, we only need to formally challenge those who did us wrong."

"Impossible," sighed Leonard, "-out of the 7 students in Military-Arts, three of them are us and the other four are A and B combined. Not any old members either, they are those who were given Tier-8 Steel tags. We'll get wiped if we fight them."

"I don't care," voiced Lampard, "-arrange the fight, Igna. Tell them Group C will happily fight to get revenge for our friends."

"I heard what you said," came the dorm-mother whose body cast a giant shadow, "-a trial by combat. I'm well acquainted with the other students; do you want me to arrange it?"

"Would you please do so?" smiled Rena.

"Yes, the residents of Block D are my family, there's a reason why I'm called the Guild-Mother. Come on," she gestured, "-we'll go to the office right away." No time for wait, Group C dashed for the bureau where a stern man sat as the receptionist. 

"A trial by combat you say?" he stared with frowns, "-sign here and here. We'll contact the others soon. Except for an answer in two to three hours."

"That was easier than I thought," laughed Leonard.

"You behave now kids," said the guild-mother heading back.

The sun blazed atop their heads, Rena and Jen's faces were still riddled with worries. "Igna," turned Leonard, "-thank you for telling us about the TBC."

"It's fine," he nodded, "-I wanted to help my friends."

"You're a good guy, aren't you," said Lampard rhetorically, "-I do admit you had me worried earlier. That change in the aura, I mean, we all sensed it, something wasn't right. Glad to see you're back now." One by one, they took to explore the academy village. 

Meanwhile, over yonder at the staffroom, news of the Trial by combat rang in the teacher's ears. 

"How dare they!" he gritted over the phone.

"Don't waste your spit. I've tricked them into signing four versus one. Funny thing is that the weak kid is going to die at the hands of your students."

"What are the conditions?"

"If you lose, money and weapons from the teacher and student alike will be handed to Group C. If they lose, the girls will be killed 'slowly' as for the boys, we'll reserve a place at one of the mines or something."

"Such a bad agreement," laughed the teacher, "-thanks for that, dorm-mother."

"Don't worry," she smiled, "-as I said, residents of Block D are my family."

The receptionist grew weary of the TBC and what the contract actually stated. 'The students seem to not know the conditions. It's her doing again.' Quick to type up a report; a message flew across the continent to Haru's phone.

'Igna is going to fight against four Steel ranked adventurers?' cut short in the middle of her business deal, the others stared blankly. "Someone take over the negotiations," said she sharply. "-There are things I need to attend to at Hidros. You and you, come with me," she pointed to shady looking figures. 'What is she planning to do again. You're not going to get away with killing another of my student, dorm-mother.' A plane made for Oxshield without time wasted.

"Man, the park is awesome," said Lampard laid with head under the ever-fresh foliage.

"I know," smile Leonard, "-can't help but be on edge for the trial by combat." *crack,* 

"Who's there?" 

"Woah, chill dude," said a boy with dark-skin and messy hair, "-that's my spot actually," he crawled out the bushes.

"I apologize on behalf of my dumb friend," smiled Rena.

"You're pretty," said he with a grin.

"Don't get any funny idea dude," threatened Lampard getting his battle-stance.

"I mean no disrespect," he laughed to facepalm, "-you must be Group C, the people who are going to fight with the S-Top guild later."

"S-Top?" inquired Jen.

"Didn't you write the contract for the battle? Well, I thought I'd get some rest before the fight, guess the place is taken. See you later," he vanished into the wild. 

"I'm getting a bad feeling," whispered Igna, "-the contract, what did he mean by that? What did the dorm-mother write?"

"Did we miss something?" a plethora of questions bounced off one another. The anxiety of the unknown whelmed the inside. 

Mild gossiping of the spectators went around the battle-arena. The event was broadcasted to the whole academy. No-names fighters were calling on the TBC, thus, only a few showed up. Others were busy making money or getting stronger. 

"Is this really what we signed up for?" wondered Lampard walking to a guard.

"Group C?" he asked.

"Yeah, we've come for the trial," interjected Leonard.

"So, you're the idiots who chose to have a one versus four?" unenthusiastically facing the entrance, "-Lyoko Igna, I don't know what you're thinking. Let me give you a piece of advice, fight to kill, else you'll die."

"Four v-versus one…"