The student council had been picking up different color palettes for their new uniform for a few hours now. It was already decided that they were going to be supervising the freshmen along with their advisors, so it was crucial that they did not look like the rest of the freshmen.

And so, a new uniform was in order. 3 hours. It had already been 3 hours since all of them pitched in their designs. In the end… It was Gerald's design that gathered the most votes as he had the best style.

​​

"Okay, this is enough."

They went with a black and gold color scheme for their new uniform. Add that to the red band that they would be hanging on their shoulders, the freshmen would surely look at them as figures of authority.

Now they just needed to have this tailored in time for the first excursion.

"Finally!", Gemma stretched her arms, her uniform pulling up and revealing her skin a little. Gerald, who just happened to be looking at her direction, could not help but click his tongue as he looked to the side.

"I guess we're also going to be excused from class, then?", Gemma slightly chuckled as she spoke to President Hannah. The excitement in her tone was obvious.

"No. Their exercise is on Saturday."

"W… what!? What about the other freshman classes!?"

"Also on Saturdays."

"N… no!"

And so, Gemma's previous excitement quickly died down. She had been smiling all throughout the meeting as she thought that they would be excused from the boring classes, and would actually be able to play… gather more experience inside a Portal.

But alas, it turns out that it was more work for them.

"Hm.", President Hannah nodded her head, "And you will be sticking with Van for the next classes."

"Also, Van is not expected to be on duty this Saturday, since it is his class that will be going through the exercise. But still, you need to wear our uniform!", President Hannah said as she raised their final design in the air and proudly waved it in front of Van's face.

"..."

And so concludes Van's 2nd meeting with the student council.

***

"So, what did you get called for, bro!?"

Harvey's loud voice echoed through the streets as he spoke with Van, who was only a few feet away from him. "Suddenly pulling you out of the class like that… are you in trouble with the Headmaster again?"

"No, it's the student council", Van quickly shook his head. Why do they always think that he's always in trouble with the staff?

"Oho…", Harvey raised an eyebrow, "What did you guys talk about?"

"...You'll find out soon enough."

"Why are you always keeping secrets, bro!?"

"It's… confidential. Very important stuff", Van said as he raised both his thumbs.

"I think the student council itself is confidential… because no one knows them."

Everyone quickly turned quiet as soon as Victoria spoke, they couldn't help but look at her. Did Victoria… did she just tell a joke?

"...", Beatrice adjusted her glasses. She didn't really know whether to laugh at it or not. It was funny, but Victoria's face had no traces of any emotions in it so it was hard to see if she should laugh.

But after a few seconds, Harvey burst out in laughter, wheezing while holding down his stomach. "Kakaka, that's a good one!"

"I'm using that the next time I see… what's her name again? The red-haired senior that seems to be in love with you?", Harvey continued to laugh.

"...Gemma?", Van said without hesitation.

"Ah yes, that's her. How is she doing nowadays?", Harvey once again burst out in laughter.

Once again, poor Gemma was unable to refute as the students of NYSA talk about her behind her back.

"I really think someone is talking about me!"

Gemma was currently with her friends in her dorm room, wiping her nose as she just let out a wild sneeze.

"That again? I assure you, no one is talking about you, Gems!"

"No, I think there is… I have been hearing rumors about Gemma for quite a while now."

"Really!? What rumors?"

"...She's in love with an elementary student."

"!!!"

"Where in the world did you even hear that!?"

***

*Bleurgh!*

Gerald was currently filled with sweat, his vomit almost only a saliva as he had been puking for an hour now. His breaths were enough to pop the clothes he was wearing due to how intense they were.

His father, Lionel, on the other hand, was comfortable seating from afar, drinking his coffee and watching him puke his brains out. And even as the retching groan of his son reached his ears, the only expression that came out of him was a furrow of his eyebrows.

"What are you doing?", he said, his tone nothing but cold even as he drank his hot coffee.

"Don't take a rest! You still have more to consume!"

Gerald's heavy breaths were now the only sound that was coming from him as he stared at the wet marbled floor that was filled with his sweat, puke… and a minute portion of his tears. His hands were already trembling, forcing itself to keep him from dropping to the floor entirely.

He wanted to slam his fist and run amok, but his body was not letting him do so.

"Why are you still taking a rest!?"

His father's screams were then followed by a warm feeling on his skin, and slowly, the warm feeling trailed from his face.

He looked down, only to see a black liquid dropping to the floor. It would seem that his father threw his cup of coffee to his head. He couldn't even feel a thing anymore due to the fatigue that drowned his entire body.

Gerald then slowly turned his eyes towards his father as his trembling hands pulled back his golden hair, which were now covered in stain.

"What are you looking at, boy!?", his father tapped his cane on the floor, "Continue absorbing the crystals! If you wish to shame me once more, then you at least have to be strong enough to deal with the consequences yourself!"

His father screamed, spewing out his saliva which was slightly darkened due to the coffee he just drank.

Gerald, on the other hand, could only let out a stuttered breath as carefully sat back down to the floor with his legs crossed. He then let out a huge breath before his hand reached for the basket beside him, taking a piece of Crystal from it and placing it on his forehead.

There were still Crystals left on the basket. Dozens… no, hundreds. There were still hundreds of Crystals left on the basket, all filled with different colors.

And behind that basket, were five more… all for Gerald alone to absorb. There were only a certain number of Crystals a System Holder could absorb before their body starts to reject them and give in. But Gerald, Gerald consumes more than a hundred of them every week.

"Good", his father nodded as he poured himself another cup of coffee with a spare cup,

"Do not disappoint me again, son...

...or your brother will take your place."