After finishing her last class, Food Exploration, Amanda returned to her room. Along the way, a few people tried to strike up conversations, but she ignored them without even slowing her pace. She was already used to it.
As soon as she entered, she sat down on the couch and picked up a book. She still had about an hour of free time and, to pass it, she did the only thing she truly knew how to do.
Read.
Only with a book in her hands did she feel something close to belonging.
Amanda's family situation had always been complicated.
Her father, Edward Stern, the renowned guild master of the Demon Hunters, was rarely home. His presence felt more like a concept than a reality.
Her biological mother left when Amanda was only two years old. She could not bear the weight of being the wife of such an influential figure.
The only memory Amanda had of her was vague, yet painful. The lonely silhouette of a woman walking down a long road beneath a torrential rain. That was the day she left.
Amanda had tried to reach her.
But the figure never looked back.
That image became forever engraved in her mind. From then on, she was raised only by her father, when he was present, and by her nanny.
Due to the dangerous nature of Edward's work, he rarely managed to spend time with his daughter. Even so, Amanda clearly remembered the few times he returned early, ruffling her hair with his large, warm hand.
Short moments. Precious ones. Unfortunately… fleeting.
In the end, the one who truly raised her was her nanny.
She used to tell bedtime stories, fairy tales about kidnapped princesses who were eventually saved by a charming prince.
Amanda liked those stories.
She wanted to be a princess too.
Back then, however, she did not understand what being kidnapped truly meant. That only became clear later.
The first time happened when she was seven years old.
She remembered only muffled voices. Darkness covering her vision. Ropes tightening around her arms and legs. Fear. A gag forcing silence as panic consumed her body.
Fortunately, her father arrived in time…
And then it happened again.
And again.
And again.
As the years passed, Amanda felt her emotions wear away. Her childish smile slowly disappeared as the experiences repeated themselves.
She grew up far too fast.
Still, when her nanny told stories, Amanda could smile. Those moments were the only times she felt safe. At peace. It was like escaping reality.
Until she turned eleven.
That was the age when her nanny passed away.
With her, the last trace of warmth in Amanda's heart disappeared. From that day on, Amanda was never able to truly smile again. Even when she was kidnapped, she felt nothing.
The world lost its colors. Everything became black and white. Little by little, her expectations toward people vanished.
I will not get angry.
I will not get sad.
I will not expect anything from anyone…
She repeated those words to herself as she locked herself inside an invisible box.
From that moment on, she decided not to form unnecessary bonds. Even if the intentions were good. Even if they treated her kindly.
Her heart remained untouched.
Closing the book, Amanda stood up and walked toward the mirror.
Her long black hair, now loose, fell softly down to her waist. Her phoenix eyes, deep and cold, carried an indifference that made others feel she was unreachable, almost sacred.
Raising her hand, she gently touched her lips, forcing a smile.
Her face immediately returned to its usual distant expression.
She tried a few more times.
Useless.
She simply could not smile.
Walking to the wardrobe, Amanda picked up an elegant black dress, finely decorated with silver patterns.
Normally, she avoided parties. But this time… it was different. During the first lecture, she had received a mysterious box from the club president.
Elijah Turner.
At first, she paid it no mind. She was used to similar attempts. But when she opened the box… her world shook.
Inside was a photograph.
A woman who looked extremely similar to her. If not for the faint wrinkles around her eyes, anyone would swear they were sisters.
It was her mother.
Despite having few memories of her, Amanda could not ignore the impulse that surged in her chest. She wanted answers. She wanted to know why she had been abandoned. Why, after all those years, her mother had never returned.
And since Elijah was the one who had delivered the photograph, Amanda had no choice but to seek him out.
That was why she decided to attend the party.
Putting on the dress and staring at her reflection for a few seconds, she picked up a small black purse.
Click.
The door closed behind her.
With her mind filled with questions, Amanda headed toward the designated location.
✦☀✦──────────────────────⚔──────────────────────✦☾✦
Inside a spacious and luxurious hall, groups of students drank, laughed, and chatted animatedly.
The atmosphere was refined. Extravagant paintings adorned the walls, while white leather sofas with delicate golden details occupied the center of the room. In the corners, large wooden tables were filled with sophisticated dishes and expensive drinks, arranged with almost ceremonial care.
The chosen venue was Le Farat, a restaurant famous for hosting celebrities and influential figures. Simply stepping inside made it clear just how exorbitant the place was. Even so, Elijah had managed to reserve an entire hall just for the party.
That alone was enough to impress most of the attendees. Eyes sparkled, especially those of the girls.
Slowly swirling the wine glass between my fingers, I brought it closer to my nose and took a light inhale. The aroma was fruity… and pretentious. The strong scent of alcohol made my nose wrinkle slightly.
"I don't like this…"
Even though I had tasted alcohol a few times out of curiosity, I was never a fan. I always found the flavor far too bitter to justify all the worship surrounding it.
Besides… it's drugged.
I thought calmly as I pulled a bottle from my Ouroboros storage. I poured grape juice into another glass. Absurdly sweet, I might add.
Just the way I like it.
Despite everything, the party's atmosphere wasn't bad.
I was sitting on a bench away from the main tables, casually swinging my legs, which did not even reach the floor due to my height. I stayed there, observing the environment with my mind wandering, until I felt a presence approaching.
A well-dressed young woman stopped in front of me.
Brown hair tied into an elegant bun, flawless makeup, and a fitted dress that fell just below her knees. She held a wine glass with practiced ease.
At the same time, in the background, my sharp hearing caught whispers directed at me.
"That's the seventh…"
"How long do you think this one lasts?"
"Ten seconds."
"Five."
I sighed internally, already knowing exactly how this would end.
"Good evening… I see you're alone."
She said with a gentle smile, taking a small sip of wine.
"Would you like some company?"
Without hesitation, I replied while taking a sip of my grape juice.
"Thank you… but I'm fine like this."
My voice was calm. Polite. Indifferent. It wasn't arrogance. I was simply making it clear that I wasn't interested in conversation.
The truth was, I was too lazy to interact with other people. Besides, I was just waiting for… the inevitable.
And as if answering my thoughts, something caught my attention in the distance.
Leaning near the wall, a boy in semi-formal clothes was calmly drinking wine. A neatly pressed white shirt, blue jeans, slightly messy black hair, and deep blue eyes like the sea.
I watched as Ren slowly began walking toward the balcony. There, isolated beneath the silver moonlight, stood another figure.
"There goes the fifth…"
"How long this time?"
"Five seconds."
"No, three."
More whispers followed, this time directed at Amanda.
She stood alone, leaning against the balcony. Her cold beauty was enhanced by the night lighting, almost ethereal. Everyone who tried to approach her was rejected within seconds.
Ren was no different, at least at first glance. But he didn't go there to court her.
After exchanging just a few words with Amanda, his serious expression made it clear this was no ordinary advance. She looked at him with suspicion, and shortly after, Ren simply walked away, returning to the party as if nothing had happened.
In truth, he had issued a warning.
About a possible attack. About her being the primary target. Information that made Amanda keep her guard up.
The party continued normally for a while longer. Laughter. Conversations. Glasses clinking.
Until…
The sharp sound of glass cut through the air.
And the entire hall fell silent.
Clink. Clink. Clink.
"May I have everyone's attention, please?"
Lightly tapping the rim of his glass with his fingers, Elijah drew the room's attention. The crystalline sound echoed through the luxurious hall, gradually silencing conversations and laughter.
Standing at the center of the aisle, posture impeccable and smile well-practiced, he waited until he was certain all eyes were on him before continuing.
"First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who decided to attend this gathering. Although our elective may be considered minor compared to others… here, we are a family."
His gaze slowly swept across each face present. His smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression.
"Recently, I became aware of conflicts between juniors and seniors. Honestly, it saddens me. I may not be able to change everything, but from the bottom of my heart, I hope that within our elective, this kind of prejudice does not exist."
Raising his glass, Elijah concluded in a firm tone.
"This is more than an elective. This is a family."
For a brief moment, silence reigned absolute.
Some students exchanged glances, conflicting expressions appearing here and there. There were those who wanted to disagree, those who felt uncomfortable… but no one dared to say anything. With Elijah's current influence, his words carried the weight of law. Opposing him was, figuratively, signing one's own sentence.
Clap.
The first applause broke the tense atmosphere.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Like a chain reaction, others began clapping, until the entire hall was filled with sound.
"I get it. I'll follow the president's lead!"
"We love you, President!"
"President, I love you!"
Cheers and applause echoed through the corridor as students showed near-fervent support. Satisfied, Elijah took a long sip of wine and raised his glass once more.
"It is with great honor and pride that I welcome you to our Food Exploration Elective!"
"Thank you!"
"Food Exploration!"
"Best elective!"
Despite the general excitement, three individuals remained still, their indifferent expressions starkly contrasting the enthusiasm around them.
That did not go unnoticed.
For a brief second, Elijah cast a careful, calculating glance toward Ren, Amanda, and Yuto before once again donning his usual fake smile.
Seated on one of the sofas, Amanda was lost in thought. From time to time, her eyes drifted to the right, where a student sat alone.
He stood out.
Clothes far too simple for such a refined place. A relaxed, almost careless posture. Short black hair, deep blue eyes like the ocean. A clean face, free of marks or imperfections, pleasant, handsome even… but nothing extraordinary when compared to people like Jin or Kevin.
Still, something about him caught her attention.
He drank wine with evident boredom, interacting with no one. No one approached him… and he clearly preferred it that way, occasionally muttering something inaudible to himself.
Could what he said really be true…?
The reason Amanda was watching him so closely was simple.
That same student had approached her earlier, when she was alone on the balcony, staring at the moon.
It was strange…
She had a vague memory of him. He was a known student, though not for good reasons.
"The weirdo."
That was what they called him. A student most people avoided at all costs. Thinking about it, Amanda couldn't disagree.
He really was strange.
Unlike the other boys, who approached her trying every possible way to catch her attention, he said only two sentences before leaving.
"You should be careful tonight."
"Something might happen… and you could be the target. No… you're probably the target."
If that was some kind of strategy to get her attention, it had worked.
She didn't take the warning completely seriously, but she began observing the environment far more carefully.
From a young age, Amanda was used to dangerous situations. That had shaped her temperament. Cautious. Alert. Any sign out of place, and her guard rose immediately.
Scanning the hall, everything seemed normal. Some people laughed too loudly. Others were already showing clear signs of drunkenness.
Drunkenness…?
Amanda paused, thinking for a few seconds.
Wasn't wine the only thing being served? And even so… how could someone get that drunk from just wine?
The next instant, a chill ran down Amanda's spine.
Something was wrong.
And then it happened.
One student collapsed.
Then another.
And another.
Bodies began dropping to the floor one after another, like puppets whose strings had been cut.
Chaos was about to begin.