The tension was unbearable. A single movement would be enough for everything to explode. The nobles, wounded, humiliated, and furious, lunged with murderous gazes, some wielding chairs, knives, or anything they could turn into a weapon. William remained standing, defiant, not moving an inch. Behind him, his companions prepared in silence, ready to fight by his side without hesitation.
And then, Captain Irven's voice cut the air like a sharp blade.
"What in the world is going on here?!"
Everyone froze. The imposing captain appeared in the doorway, his figure solid as a wall. Beside him, walking with firm steps and a tense gaze, came Elric.
"The previous situation is not yet resolved and you are already here looking for another fight?" Irven bellowed, crossing his arms with an expression of absolute disappointment. "Are you children? Or just stupid?"
Silence settled in the cafeteria like a slab. The nobles retreated a few steps, slowly lowering their improvised weapons. William did not even blink.
Elric stepped forward, inspecting the scene.
"Captain, it seems the commoners provoked again."
One of the nobles, with a broken nose and a bloody bandage on his neck, raised his voice:
"They started it! They came in defying us! They are looking for war!"
"That's a lie!" Dixon shouted, his voice trembling with anger. "They followed us with their eyes, they insulted us first! It's always the same! You do whatever you want and then you play the saints."
Irven raised his hand, asking for silence. He did not say a word, just observed everyone, as if trying to find the truth amidst the ruins of chaos.
Elric, however, maintained his rigid posture.
"The nobles have a right to feel threatened. This group has a history. We cannot allow them to impose fear with violence."
William sighed and raised a hand, signaling his companions to be silent. Then, he spoke with chilling calm:
"It does not matter what happened, does it? In the end, the only thing that matters is what you want to believe. I would bet that even the cooks have already testified in favor of the nobles."
His words resonated with venom. Elric frowned; his jaw tensed. In a fit of rage, he stepped towards William and raised his arm to strike him.
But Irven was faster.
"Enough."
His voice was low, but icy. With a single gesture of his hand, he stopped Elric's blow dead. Elric lowered his gaze, swallowing his pride as his arm trembled.
"There is not enough evidence," Irven finally declared. "This will be temporarily closed. Both sides suffered losses, both made mistakes. If you raise your hand again... I swear I will not hesitate to expel you. And do not expect your families to save you."
The air began to flow again. The nobles began to retreat, murmuring among themselves. Some looked at William with hatred, others with fear. Jasper, his neck still covered by thick bandages, avoided even looking up.
A memory fleetingly crossed Elric's mind as he watched the chaos dissipate.
A thin child in ragged clothes, trying to hide his tears as a group of nobles threw him to the ground and kicked him mercilessly. He himself, years ago, had also been a commoner. Humiliated. Beaten. Silenced.
He remembered how he had dreamed of being strong, of having a position that would allow him to protect his own. But now that he had it, he was trapped. If he showed favoritism, if he openly protected William and his group, his career would end. Or worse still... he would end up dead in a conveniently planned accident.
Elric clenched his fists. He could not help them. Not yet.
One by one, the noble figures left. The commoners who were still waiting outside looked at William with a mixture of astonishment and respect. When Irven finally withdrew, the first ones began to enter.
One by one, they bowed briefly but meaningfully. William did not respond. He just watched them as they crossed the dining hall in silence.
They took their food timidly, almost as if they expected to be reprimanded for it. They had not dared to touch anything since the last time, for fear of provoking the nobles' wrath. But now, they felt permitted to exist.
"I think that's enough for today," Cedric murmured, rubbing his neck.
"Yes," Thom nodded, yawning. "I need a whole week's sleep."
"The first day is barely over, you idiot," Theo scoffed.
They laughed softly. William remained silent for a few seconds, observing the dining hall, now full of movement.
"Let's go," he finally said.
The group stood up and headed towards their dormitories. No one spoke much. Emotions still weighed heavily, bodies still ached. But they had gained something that day. Not a victory. Not yet. But a crack in the wall.
His companions said goodbye one by one, visibly emotional about what had happened. Back in his room, William collapsed onto the mattress with a deep sigh.
His mind was about to shut down when Angel's voice sounded in his head.
"Molecular acceleration detected. Muscle fibers increasing at an alarming rate..."
Angel's voice alarmed William, who quickly sat up and placed his hand on his chest. But he could feel nothing. After a moment, he perceived a warm current spreading throughout his body, especially in the muscles worked during training.
"Angel, what is happening?"
"Components similar to those found in the restoration potion have been detected. Upon contact with the remnants still present in your system, they have reactivated, granting a second effect."
"Analyze in real time and show me the changes. Also, notify me if there is any sign of danger and look for countermeasures."
"Analyzing... Gathering data... The situation is completely beneficial for the user. It is estimated that, at the end of the process, Strength will increase by 0.1 point, Dexterity by 0.1 point, and Vitality by 0.5."
"Wow... impressive. Under normal conditions, how long would it take me to get those results?"
"With a balanced diet, without the use of drugs, and with system assistance, the equivalent of one month of continuous exercise."
"Based on these new discoveries, update the training method."
"During the scan, I detected that the meat consumed yesterday contains a substance related to the restoration potion. Also... there is something very strange in your brain. Displaying anomaly."
Before William's eyes, an image unfolded showing his magnified brain. In the prefrontal area, a small blue dot glowed.
"Angel, what am I seeing?"
"According to the records, this event was caused by exposure to the energy wave provisionally called 'Magic.' There is insufficient data to corroborate if it can have adverse effects. I have deployed all known medical measures, but none work. Since the appearance of the anomaly, the user's brain capacity has increased by 3.5%, accelerating their synaptic process and improving their cognitive efficiency."
Angel's words were somber, yet at the same time they presaged infinite possibilities.
"Maintain constant vigilance over that area until we have more information. Inform me immediately of any changes."
With his head full of ideas, William closed his eyes, allowing the darkness to envelop him.