The Academy's Terminally Ill Side Character
Chapter 192: Soul Bound Staff [1]

I smiled faintly. "Didn't think you were the type to forgive so easily."

Leona groaned, dragging a hand through her hair. "I didn't say I forgave her. Not completely, anyway."

Is that so? Didn't look that way to me.

There was a beat of silence.

"…But," she added, voice quieter now, "she did apologize. And I mean, like, a real apology. Not the fake kind people throw around just to save face. And you can tell she's trying. She's been… different lately."

I stayed quiet, letting her keep talking.

Leona looked down at the table, then back up at me. Her frown returned.

"So yeah, maybe I don't like her all that much yet. But what those girls did? That's low. She already owned up to her past. Going behind her back and messing with her food like they're still in middle school? That's bullshit."

I nodded.

"Yeah."

"Like… at least if you're gonna be a bitch, be a brave bitch. Don't do sneaky crap like stealing someone's lunch. That's just pathetic."

"…Agreed."

She looked at me again, more seriously this time.

"Are you sure we shouldn't do something?"

I hesitated. I'd thought about it too. About confronting them, about saying something—anything. But then I remembered the look in Kiera's eyes when she said she wanted to handle it herself.

"…Let's wait," I said. "If she asks, we'll step in. But until then, let her have this."

Leona sighed, leaning her cheek against her fist.

"Man… being a decent person is exhausting."

I let out a small laugh. "Yeah. But it beats being a petty one."

We both went quiet for a bit.

Leona reached for another snack, tossing it into her mouth.

"…Still gonna keep an eye on her though," she muttered through a crunch. "Just in case."

"That's a good idea," I said.

There was a short silence before Leona spoke again—this time, with a sharpness I didn't expect from her.

"…Despite what you just said, I'm pretty sure you're going to do something. Just not directly. Am I right?"

I blinked at her.

She wasn't wrong.

I had no intention of stepping into that mess personally—not because I didn't care, but because my plate was already full. I had too much going on.

I needed to awaken the [Soul Bound Staff].

I needed to prepare for my sister's arrival at the academy.

And the most dangerous task of all: dealing with the last remaining traitor and villain hiding within these walls.

So yeah—I wasn't going to interfere with Kiera's issue directly. But that didn't mean I was going to let it slide, either.

Those girls had crossed a line.

And they were going to remember it for the rest of their lives.

Without another word, I pulled out my phone and opened a certain website—one I'd learned about from the academy's setting book.

All it would take was one message.

Nothing would happen immediately. But soon enough, those girls would be neck-deep in a mess they never saw coming.

Was it overkill? Probably.

But something about it felt… poetic. The kind of low-key, behind-the-scenes revenge that left no fingerprints and still made you sleep better at night.

I was halfway through typing when Leona glanced up.

"Hey, Rin."

"Yeah?"

"Are you going out? Why are you changing into your workout clothes? You just got back a minute ago."

Ah. That's right. I had other plans today.

"I'm heading out. Won't be long."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "You're not going after them, are you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like you or Ryen? I'm not exactly equipped to fight a bunch of girls."

"True," she said, squinting at me suspiciously. "Just making sure."

She stood up and stretched. "Anyway, it's getting dark soon. Don't stay out too late. Come back safe."

I chuckled as I tied my shoes. "Are you my mom now?"

I waited for her usual retort—something loud and ridiculous, like, 'Who the hell's your mom, you punk?'

But nothing came.

I looked up.

Leona just stood there, frowning slightly, arms folded across her chest. Her expression was unreadable.

"…Huh," I muttered. "That's weird."

Had she… actually meant it?

Maybe she was more worried than she let on.

I gave her a small wave and headed for the door.

"I'll be back before you know it."

"…You better," she said quietly.

I nodded once, then stepped outside.

The sealed [Soul Bound Staff] wasn't going to awaken itself.

----

Leona's POV

The door clicked shut behind him.

I stayed there for a moment, staring at the empty space he'd just been in, arms still folded across my chest.

"…Idiot," I muttered under my breath.

Then I flopped back onto the couch with a long sigh, rubbing my eyes like I could somehow wipe away the weird mix of worry and frustration brewing in my chest.

I wasn't stupid. I knew Rin wasn't the kind of guy to sit still when something bothered him. He was quiet about it, subtle, but behind that calm face of his? That brain was always running.

Just like it was now.

He said he wouldn't get involved with Kiera's situation, but I knew him too well. If he wasn't going to deal with it head-on, then he'd find another way. Something sneaky. Something that didn't leave his name attached to it.

And the worst part?

He was good at that kind of stuff.

Too good.

I pulled my legs up onto the couch and hugged a pillow to my chest, staring up at the ceiling. The common room was quiet, save for the hum of the fridge and the occasional creak from the building settling. I hated when it got this quiet. It left too much space for thoughts to fester.

Kiera…

God, I didn't even like her that much. She used to bully Rin, spread nasty rumours about him and mocked him more then one occasion.

So, yeah, I don't like her. At least in the start.

After Leo abandoned her or at least that's what I heard, She started to change.

She even started to apologiseing to all the people she used to bully. Including Rin..

She really had changed.

She wasn't the same girl who used to look down her nose at everyone and throw her weight around. She was awkward now. Honest. Trying.

And I respected that. Even if I didn't quite know how to show it.

I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, letting the voices of some random drama fill the room. I wasn't really watching it—just needed something to break the silence.

My gaze flicked back toward the door.

"…What are you even planning, Rin?" I whispered, even though I already knew the answer.

He wasn't just out for a walk.

He was going after something. Something big. Something dangerous. I could see it in his eyes—the same look he gets when he's focused, like the rest of the world doesn't matter except for the one thing he's chasing.

...And it seems this time somthing big is going on with him.

Somthing so big that he doesn't want anyone else to be involved.

Even her.

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Author Note.

Thank you for reading the chapter. I hope you continue to do read more in future.