"How did you get it?" Bahamut asked as he looked at Max.

The thing in the pouch gave Bahamut a unique feeling. Something was calling him….

It was a spirit shell…

"The auction items…" Max said with a smile.

The third item was indeed surprisingly a spirit shell. As for why the spirit shell was being transported into the capital, Max didn't know….

Bahamut kept the item with him. The smile on his face wasn't decreasing at all.

It was clear that he was happy….words couldn't convey his feelings….

After all, normally, they had to get the spirit shells from the Ancient family which was the same as entering a Lion's den….but this...it was as if a pie had fallen from the sky….

"Send me that guy later…." Max said as he pointed at the trunk of the car before silently sneaking out of the underground parking lot and returning to the party hall.

…

"Hmmn?" Max noticed Lora sitting alone in the corner out of everyone's eyes, she seemed to be sneaking glances at Lisa.

"What are you doing here all alone?" Max asked with a smile as he walked toward her table and took a seat.

"Nothing...You really did give me a surprise though…" Lora replied.

"So, how is it going with Lear? Did you talk about him with your parents?" Max asked with a smile.

"Y-You!! W-What are you talking about?!" Lora was immediately flustered at Max's words.

"Just drop it already….it's too obvious...you two almost kissed that day...you still wanna deny it?" Max shook his head as he smiled.

Lora's face turned red. That day, her mind was chaotic, she didn't realise it...and….

Lora wanted to hide herself. Thinking about it….she really felt embarrassed…

At this moment, someone else took the seat beside Max.

It was Elly.

Max looked at her but didn't say anything.

It was good for Lora, talking to Lisa may still be too difficult for her. It was better for her to mend her relationship with others before getting to Lisa.

Elly looked at Lora with a slight smile but when she saw her eyes avoiding her, she sighed.

Elly's presence made Lora a bit tense again. Her issues were with Lisa, but she had troubled everyone. She had even remembered saying a few harsh words to them….

This was the reason that she never had the courage to face them, but….this time she clenched her first and took a deep breath in and finally raised her head to meet Elly's eyes.

"Hi…" Her voice was weak but it still allowed a smile on Elly's face.

"How have you been, Lora?" Elly looked at her with concerned eyes. They have tried it in the past as well, but nobody could get through her. Others more or less had blamed her or failed to understand Lisa….but Elly's eyes were sharper than others...she had noticed something was wrong long before the fight between Lisa and Lora occurred…but she couldn't help them at that time…

"Yeah….I am fine…" Lora nodded her head as her body trembled and her eyes started to water a bit. Even though she turned away from her, Elly still cared about her.

"S-Sorry...for everything…"

"It's fine. Didn't I bully you too when we were young?" Elly smiled as she grabbed her hand.

"Don't cry here…..where do you think we are…" Max said as he looked around. Luckily, people had already started to leave…as long as she didn't cry out loud it should still be safe...

Lora wiped her eyes and happily talked with Elly. Max sat there listening to things that he absolutely had no idea about….

"I should leave now as well…" Lora said as she got up. It was already getting late.

As Lora left, Elly finally spoke to him "What were you trying to do?"

"What do you mean?" Max glanced at her from the corner of her eyes.

"Two is the limit…." Elly said with a straight face.

Max was initially confused but his face slowly turned ugly when he realised the meaning behind those words.

What two!!!

He had set the limit to zero for now!!!!

He didn't want this!!!

Max glared at her. Even if he didn't want to admit it, it was still the truth temporarily….But still, he wasn't the type to take insults lying down….

"You are getting jealous now?" Max asked with a smirk.

"Isn't this what a person in my position would do?" Elly reasoned with him and it was a pretty good one.

"It's only been a few hours...now I am scared thinking about the future…" Max gave her a look.

"Afraid that I will bully your first girl?" Elly smiled.

"I will be grateful if you did. You have my permission, torture her as you see fit…" Max gritted his teeth in anger at the mere thought of Lisa. That girl….

He was afraid that if he let her be, she might get him another girl or two…she was more dangerous than a dense harem protagonist.....He had to put a stop to her at all cost….

Elly looked at him in surprise, she couldn't understand what was going on….didn't he like the girl?

…

Time passed and soon the hall was almost empty.

Janet brought Aria and Lisa together to the mansion while Elly stayed behind saying that her grandfather had called for her.

After they left…. Max appeared beside her..

"Let's go, I will take you to meet her...…" He said and then went towards the second floor which was pretty much empty and entered one of the rooms.

«Come on the second floor of the hall….I am waiting in room no. 3…»

«Lisa: Right now?»

«Yes, hurry up...it's urgent...»

"You are not going to call her?" Elly asked as she looked at Max.

"I already did…" Max replied.

A few minutes later….

Elly raised her head as the door opened and a familiar voice entered her ears.

"What are you calling me so urgently for? It was hard to get away from Aria and Janet you kno-"

And the voice stopped.

For a minute, there was no sound….

Lisa and Elly stared at each other while Max calmly sat there.

"Uh...what are you doing here, Elly….don't misunderstand…you know right, something can't be told to others…" Lisa immediately recovered and hinted that the matter was related to their secrets and can't be told to her as she failed the test…

Max suddenly got up with a smile and walked towards her.

Lisa took a step back involuntarily. Even though Max was smiling, she felt that he was about to devour her….

Before Lisa could run away, Max wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him and put her under his grasp.

"W-What are you doing?!!" Lisa's eyes widened and she struggled to get out of his grasp.

"It isn't like this, Elly... believe me…Max leave me…" Lisa felt her face burning and she started to panic.

Max ignored her and looked toward Elly with a smile, "So, you ready to bully her?"

Elly looked at Lisa and then at Max...this wasn't happening….