The one month Quin had to spend at home passed, and it was time for him to go to school. He was quite nervous, and not just due to his condition, but because he would finally be able to meet Aline. Although he accepted that she was busy with various duties, he thought that she should have at least visited him once. He had already gone over thousands of times on what he would say to her and how, and decided that he would not be lenient with her this time. He would not back down -- no matter how hard he found it to argue with her -- and make her understand how bad he felt during this time.

After he arrived at the school he went to his class right away. Unfortunately, he barely knew anybody there, as, after each Coming of Age Ceremony, the classes were reorganized according to the students’ performance. This meant that Quin -- as someone without any cultivation -- was put into the weakest class of the year. No doubt that he was not too happy about the idea, but there was nothing he could do.

As he walked to his school desk, he noticed that many of the students were whispering -- or at least trying to whisper -- to each other. It was not difficult for him to guess the contents of their whispers. Quin was someone widely known at the school, and he knew that rumors spread like wildfires. What kind of gossip would be more interesting than the star of the school losing his cultivation, even if they thought that it was just a temporary thing?

Quin tried to just ignore these things, and put up a strong front, showing the others that he was the same as before. He was no idiot and was perfectly aware what would happen to a powerless tyrant among his former subordinates. That was not something he wanted to ever experience.

The lessons passed quietly and afterward, he went to find Aline right away. He found her on the school grounds, speaking with a girl.

“Hey,” he greeted her.

“Hey, how are you?” she said and smiled at him slightly. She looks somehow different... Like she’s colder toward me. Why is it?

“Can we talk for a bit?” he asked.

“Yeah, go ahead,” Aline answered calmly.

Quin looked at the girl next to Aline and then back at her.

“I mean, just the two us,” he said.

“Alright,” she said with a sigh, “Lian, please, can you let the two of us talk for a bit?”

The girl nodded and left.

“Why haven’t you visited me during the whole time? Do you know how it felt?” he asked her.

“I was busy. Do you know how much things I had to do in the previous months? I barely had enough sleep!” she said and irritation could clearly be seen on her face. “No, you don’t know anything about that, because it’s just always you and you! The first thing you asked is whether I knew how you felt, but you didn’t care at all about how I felt! You can’t imagine how hard this period was on me!

“First I was kidnapped by the Shriekers, after that Dreon died, then you got injured and what happened when I had finally gotten home after all of this? My father forced so many things on me that I still don’t have any free time! No, I don’t have any idea how you felt, but I do know how I felt!”

“I-” But these things happened to me as well, I was also kidnapped and then saw Dreon die, and it was mine cultivation that got destroyed! Why is she so angry? He felt that what she said was not fair, however as he looked at her, and into her beautiful, sky blue eyes, what he felt was no longer anger or injustice. He sensed a warm, fire-like sensation in his chest, as he remembered all of the fond memories shared between the two them: when they first met, when they first climbed up to the mountain at the back of the city, or their first kiss. Then, only his love remained inside his mind, and he felt bad about the whole situation. “I’m sorry Aline,” he apologized, “Do you have some free time this week?”

Though she still seemed to be a bit annoyed, but after hearing his apology, her mood improved. “As I said before, I still have tons of thing to do, so I’ll probably have no free time for at least a couple of weeks,” she answered.

“Alright,” he said with a sigh. Just as Quin was about to say something else, someone appeared from behind him and interrupted him.

“Hey Aline, my dear!” a male voice said, and Quin got enraged as the youths put his hand on Aline’s shoulder and pulled her slightly toward him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Quin said, nearly shouting.

“Hmm? Is there a problem with anything, Aline, my dear?” he asked looking briefly at her and then back at Quin. “I don’t see what’s the issue,” he said, with a surprised expression on his face.

“Take your damn hands off of her, or else...” Quin demanded.

“Or else what?” he asked with a clear mocking tone. “You will stare me into death?” He snorted.

Quin took a step closer and looked him deep into the eyes, while his own’s were filled tremendous killing intent. So much, that it would probably even shock himself, if he were not completely distracted by his anger. Aline and I belong together! There’s no place for anyone else!

Even though he lacked any kind of cultivation, he was ready to attack at any moment. The fierceness in Quin’s eyes was so frightening that even the other youth took a step back unintentionally.

“Cut it out, guys!” Aline said simply, but it sounded more like a command. It was successful, though, as both of them stopped, and calmed down.

“As you wish,” the youth said with a cheerful smile. “See ya later at our usual spot!” He took a final glance at Quin and left.

“What was that? Why do you let him do something like this?” Quin asked. “And what did he mean about seeing you later? You don’t have time for me, but still can meet that jerk?”

“Stop it! I had enough! Why am I always the one who have to explain herself?”

He wanted to retort, however just like usually, no matter how hard he tried, he just could not be angry at her. Seeing those sad eyes, nearly filled with tears, all he could feel was the guilt for saying such things and hurting her, as well as a strong burning sensation in his heart.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized once again.

“Alright, I forgive you this time as well, but you should trust me more!” she said, and then left without a word.

Crap, I made her angry again. He let out a long sigh and then decided to walk back to the main building to grab his stuff.

Just around the entrance of the school quite a crowd had gathered, and when arrived, three boys split from it and started to walk into his direction.

“Hey, Lightning Boy!” said one of them and Quin stopped to look at them.

He suspected what was happening and why they were there. After a few moments of observing them, he got a general idea of their strength and elements. Although it did not prove to be always true, in most of the cases you could guess someone’s element just by looking at their body shape. Someone who’s element was earth had a big, muscular and bulky body, while a slender and tall human probably used the air element.

Among the three there was a youth with a small frame, and who emanated a calm aura. Quin turned to him and asked, “You’ve got something to tell me?” He did not give them any time to answer, though, and asked another question right away, “So you want to test me, huh? You know guys, just because I can’t use my cultivation currently that doesn’t mean that it’ll last forever, does it?”

It was not that difficult to come up with a strategy against them. When they confronted him, not only had he not backed down, but he also took the initiate, like he had nothing to fear. When he asked them something, he did not even let them answer to show them it was him who controlled the situation.

The one he chose as his opponent was of the water element, which was the easiest one to face in his condition. Furthermore, by this action he decreased the chance that all three of them would simultaneously attack him, as he was only talking to one of them.

These were just simple tactics, and although in a real situation -- in a fight between adults -- they may not be that useful, he was against only fifteen or sixteen years old students. Even though they had been through their Coming of Age Ceremony, most of the groups did not encounter too much danger. In contrast to them, Quin not only had a life and death battle in the Wilderness but after his defeat against Mang, getting more actual combat experience had been his main focus.

“So are you finally going to attack or do something, or will we just stare at each other for all eternity?” he asked mockingly.

Author's note: my beta reader told me that Aline's behavior was a bit strange, as only a couple of chapters ago she was on the verge of crying when Leyn proposed her idea that Quin should follow Dreon alone (chap 22). However do you remember Aline's reaction in chap 29, when Quin says that they should split off? There were no tears, she didn't even ask him not to go, only saying something like "be careful". Furthermore it was after they found the pyramid and things they had no idea about, which should make the area even more dangerous. Aside from this, the only difference between the two situations was who was the one proposing the idea.

I also planted a few important clues in the chapter, and I was sure that they'd be very obvious, but my beta reader told me that even though he knew what was behind them, they weren't conspicuous at all xD. So I'm quite interested what you guys will find.

Edit: I've decided to write a proper explanation about the first part of my author's note, which you can find two comments below.