Al walked out of the dining room like someone who had just escaped an interrogation chamber.
The moment his bedroom door shut behind him, he let out a quiet sigh and collapsed onto his soft bed.
Finally, it was over…
"Pointless family drama," he murmured, pulling the blanket over himself.
Sleep.
That was the one thing he looked forward to today.
The simplest, yet most meaningful thing.
But then—
GRUARRR... GRUARRRR...
His phone vibrated on the nightstand, accompanied by a custom ringtone: rumbling thunder—reserved only for specific people.
Al opened his eyes slowly. No irritation, just slight reluctance.
He reached for the phone, looked at the caller ID, and smiled.
He answered.
"Master," came a woman's voice from the other side. Soft. Firm. With a hint of playfulness hidden behind formal tones.
"I'm leaving for Indorosia tonight."
Al paused, then gave a small smile.
"All right," he replied briefly. "Safe flight."
Click.
The call ended.
But on the other side of the world, things were just beginning to move.
---
Elsewhere…
Uni-states of Ameria
A towering skyscraper stood proudly in the heart of Neo York's business district. On its top floor, inside a sleek modern office with glass walls overlooking the skyline, a young woman stood with her back to the massive window.
Her long, glossy black hair cascaded down her back. Her figure—though wrapped in a formal black suit—couldn't hide the striking curves that far surpassed even Nayala's.
But that wasn't what stood out.
Not her body.
It was her aura.
Graceful. Commanding. Captivating. Yet... dangerous.
Her face was still partially shadowed by the evening light filtering in.
But a smile began to form—soft, and full of longing.
She stared at the now-dark phone, then turned her gaze to the dusky sky beyond the glass.
"Soon, we'll meet again, Master..." she whispered. "I've missed you."
She held her phone tighter, as if hugging something she deeply cherished.
On the holographic display beside her desk, a company logo floated clearly:
ALASIA GROUP.
The screen then switched to a quarterly financial report. The company—partially private—showed growth charts surpassing Wapple and Lesla.
With a single flick of her finger, she closed the display.
"I'll bring gifts… and a few things Master likes. And after that… I want to hear all about your fiancée."
Her smile changed slightly—still gentle, but with a sharp edge.
Soft… but unmistakably piercing.
---
Back to Al...
He closed his eyes again and whispered under his breath:
"One by one, they return... The world will begin moving again."
And this time, he smiled.
But not the smile of an ordinary person.
It was the smile of a king in slumber... knowing his queen had begun to return to his side.
---
Heat.
That was the first thing Al felt when he woke up that early afternoon. Sunlight streamed through the small window in his room, and the air inside felt like a steam chamber.
It was the end of March.
Dry season had begun in Indorosia, and Eastern Indorosia was one of the hottest regions—hot enough to make any normal person curse every five minutes.
Unlike the luxurious rooms of the other Virellano family members in the main house, Al's room was in a small building outside.
No AC. Just a fan that barely stirred the hot air, much less effective than relying on natural wind that appeared on its own, uncontrollable.
Especially if he had to use his dimensional space. Just as air could flow in there, so could the heat—and naturally, it would feel even more suffocating.
He tried to cast a cooling spell, a fresh, cold breeze blowing from his hands onto his body. But not even a minute had passed before it faded on its own.
"Haah… That's it? I really am not that skilled with cooling-type magic. Guess I need to study it more in depth," he muttered.
"But… do I have to rely on magic for everything? Won't that ruin my humanity?"
He could only sigh.
"Besides, that kind of magic isn't really practical. The energy cost is too high, the effect too minimal, and it's hard to control. One wrong move and my heart and blood vessels could freeze."
In the end, Al adjusted his mindset to stop forcing every aspect of his life to be simplified by magical energy.
He felt that if everything could be solved by magic, he would forget what it meant to be human—far from his goal and mission to live as a normal human.
He got up and chose a more human approach. He removed his shirt and walked straight into the small outdoor bathroom.
---
After the shower…
His body felt refreshed, but the day was still scorching.
Al had just put on a white t-shirt and light pants when his phone rang. A standard ringtone. Unknown number.
He almost ignored it. But curiosity won.
"Yes?"
"Al! It's me, Rina. Vice captain of Dojo Palaka. Remember?"
"…Rina? Dojo Palaka… is that some kind of food?"
"Hey. Don't mock my dojo." Rina snapped angrily
"Eh. What can I say? I don't even understand what you're talking about." Al replied lazily.
"Ughh. Forget it! It's me—someone from your school, same grade, the one who helped you against Rudi's thugs back then. Don't pretend you forgot."
Al let out a slow sigh. The girl's voice was far too energetic for this scorching midday.
"Ah, it's you. I remember. What's up? By the way, how did you get my number?"
"What's so hard about getting your number? Student data is available in academics, right? Anyway… Can you help me today? We're preparing for School Festival. You're free today, aren't you? I'll wait at school," Rina explained.
"Ah… you got it from there. Didn't expect you to be more resourceful than my own family," Al said, referring to Edward, who couldn't get any info about him.
"Anyway. If it's about that, I'll pass… I'm too drained. Don't feel like moving. The sun's like a frying pan." he added.
"Don't be like that! This is important, Al! There aren't many boys handling this, you know—"
"Why me all of a sudden? I don't think we're close enough for you to ask for help."
"Ishh… exactly because we're not close, that's why I came to ask you. Later we can get to know each other better, okay?"
"Hmph... No, thanks." Al replied flatly.
"Al… If your excuse is the hot weather, the committee room is on the 3rd floor. We've got a big AC and a fridge full of cold drinks. You won't feel hot there."
But something felt odd in her mind.
"Wait… don't you have AC at home? Why you complaining about the weather?" She wondered why an elite kid would complain about the heat.
Rina thought someone from a wealthy family should have AC at home—yet Al was the one complaining about being hot right now.
Meanwhile, Al's lips curved slightly—a lazy, characteristic smile appearing.
"Yeah… there's AC… but not for me. And… did you say there are cold drinks?"
"Not for you? Hmph. Anyway, yup, there are plenty of cold drinks here… and cold watermelon," Rina added.
"Really?"
"Of course."
And somehow, the decision was made instantly.
"Okay. I'll come. What time?"
"Woah. Only willing to come when there's a reward, huh? After all those excuses—hot weather, not being close, and whatever. Hmph… fine, I'll wait as soon as possible," Rina grumbled.
"Huh? Who said we're not close? You must've misheard, Rina. We're super close, right? Haha. Fine. I'll be there in 30 minutes." Al replied.
And with a bright grin, Al hung up, prepared, and set off.
Meanwhile, on the other end, Rina could only stare blankly, then soon laughed. Amused by the conversation.
"Hehe… what a guy," she muttered.
---
30 Minutes Later...
Al wore casual clothes, backpack slung over his shoulder.
His steps were lazy, but steady.
He took a taxi to school—he couldn't borrow the family car anyway.
When he arrived at Hazandeen International High School, the school wasn't too crowded, but the administration building was bustling with activity.
Several students could be seen walking around, some wearing loose casual clothes, others still looking stylish but modest.
They were busy setting up preparations for PORSENI, including large banners for the upcoming School Festival (a week-long competition of sports, arts, science and technology), prominently displayed along the main pathway.
On the third floor, in a large room with a digital whiteboard and the school's emblem on the wall, Rina sat hugging a bottle of cold water.
When she saw Al enter, she immediately stood up.
"Finally, the most mysterious guy in our grade shows up."
Al grabbed a bottle from the fridge without saying a word.
He sat in a corner, leaned back, and calmly opened it.
"So… we're in the same grade?" he asked innocently, sipping the refreshing drink.
"Of course… we're in the same grade. Don't you know me?" Rina replied, thinking she was quite famous.
"Huff… and another narcissist who thinks the whole world knows her," Al teased, face fresh and calm.
"Ishh… you," Rina grumbled in annoyance.
"Heheh. Okay, okay. Now I know you. So, what do you want me to do here? Let's get it done quickly."
"You're in a hurry," Rina replied.
"We'd better finish it quickly, Rina. My cold watermelon is waiting," he said, pointing at the watermelon that somehow looked especially beautiful that day.
Rina was quite pleased with that response.
"Good. That's the spirit!" Rina said. "But I have to introduce you to the others first."
She turned around and eagerly introduced Al to the School Festival Organizing Team—mostly juniors and morning-class students who had barely, if ever, seen Al before.
Most looked at him with curious expressions.
Some nodded politely.
Others started whispering after hearing his full name.
Until one person who knew that name finally spoke up…
"Wait, isn't he that orphan… who got into Hazandeen with a scholarship from the Alasia Foundation?"
"Orphan?... Yet he acts so chill."
"So he's not from an elite family?"
"I didn't know this school even offered scholarships to non-elites."
"If Rudi never mentioned it, I probably wouldn't have known either."
"Rudi doesn't like non-elite kids, right?"
"Yup. There used to be some scholarship kids, but they all quit because of Rudi's interventions—somehow. Leaving only one student named Al. So this is him."
The whispers, audible enough to spread, gradually shifted toward unpleasant information.
But Al didn't really care. To him, they were just clueless kids, with no impact on his life.
Rina fell silent for a moment, slightly shocked.
So Al isn't elite… no wonder Rudi bothered him. And that means the incident back then had nothing to do with this boy? cause there's no way he could hire fighters that strong, she analyzed silently.
Huff… I even thought he had real connections to the Virellano family. Seems it was just a joke back then.
It was the first time she heard about Al's background from the school's social perspective. Hearing those unpleasant rumors made her a little uncomfortable and afraid that Al might be offended.
But when she glanced at him to see his reaction, what she found was…
Al's signature lazy smile.
"Sorry, kids… for shattering your wild assumptions and gossip. But I'm a rich kid, probably richer than you, so end that conversation. I'm not some celebrity to gossip about to my face. Now, let's get this done," Al said flatly, responding to the whispers with a tone too serious to be a joke, but too odd to offend anyone.
Instead of taking him seriously, the whole room burst into laughter—some mocking, some confused.
Rina let out a short sigh, smiling wryly. At least Al wasn't angry or losing his temper. Not to mention, the fact that he was technically elite if challenged… was a relief.
On some level, for some reason, she found Al attractive. Amusing in his own way. Honest, without any exaggerated expressions.
Soon, they seemed to grow bored with their antics. And following Rina's command, they began carrying out their tasks.
---
Though lazy at first, Al quickly showed his abilities once he started working.
With a single instruction, he reorganized the booth layout and decorations with high efficiency—far better than the original plan created over months of committee meetings.
Even Rina, holding command, seemed useless there.
For some reason, everyone appeared hypnotized by Al's ideas, designs, and work ethic. It was as if Al had become the one in charge, as though the young man was naturally accustomed to leading a group of humans efficiently.
He didn't just finish his own tasks quickly and accurately. He also helped other committee members who were struggling—lifting, organizing, even small tasks like cutting and pasting.
Several female student blushed shyly at Al's charisma.
And what they were working on was almost completed in just over two hours, leaving only minor touches that other committee members could handle.
Feeling relieved, Al sat down on the sofa and immediately targeted the refreshing watermelon with sharp eyes and decisive movements, like a predator stalking its prey.
Rina gawked.
"You… are you a genius or what?"
"Just normal. If I work fast, I can rest faster," Al replied, chewing casually.
Rina burst out laughing.
She couldn't deny it—Al made this hot afternoon feel a bit lighter.
But not everyone shared that feeling.
Jogo, a senior from the martial arts club and Rina's old friend, observed them with sharp eyes.
Rina's closeness to Al clearly made him uneasy.
Still, the day ended peacefully… for everyone, including Al—who finally got to enjoy cold watermelon, soda, and an air-conditioned room.
And while chewing a small slice of tart, Al's cheeks puffed out slightly.
His usually blank expression turned into something… innocent.
Even cute, according to some of the female committee members whispering among themselves:
"He's... kinda cute when he eats."
"Uwahhh, so adorable."
"Can I pinch his cheeks?"
Those who had scoffed at him earlier were now completely impressed. Both by the efficiency and quality of his work, and by the hidden charm beneath his otherwise ordinary appearance. They just didn't know the horrors that lurked behind that innocent-looking face.
---