"What's with the flower?" Godford pointed at the yellow flower in Rye's hand, "Are you that depressed?"

"A ghost gave it to me."

Godford grabbed Rye's shoulder solemnly, "…Are you that depressed?"

"…" Rye shrugged Godford's hand off, "I'm planning to make sunflower seeds from this. I guess you don't want them."

"I was joking! Share them with me, alright? I'll help you make them."

"I don't think it'll be enough for two though."

"It will, it will."

"Rye."

Rye and Godford stiffened. They both knew whose voice it was.

Godford pushed Rye forward and whispered, "Run. I'll cover you."

"…I don't think that's an effective plan considering he's the supreme hero."

"…"

"…"

"Rye." Ludric called him again with more force.

Without having any option, Rye peeked out from behind Godford, "Ludric…Is there something?"

"You told your students that you're my brother?"

"No," Godford immediately refuted, "That was me. I accidentally slipped it out."

Ludric glared at Godford. His usually friendly eyes didn't have any warmth in them.

Both Rye and Godford flinched.

So scary!!

"Rye, yesterday, what was that?"

"…What was what?"

"Don't play dumb with me. How did you parry my sword and stopped Rosetta's magic with just a metal pointer?"

Godford cursed under his breath and whispered, "Why did you do that?"

"I didn't know it was him…They were going to decapitate Elliot." Rye whispered back in panic.

"Stop whispering and answer me!" Ludric flashed into Rye's side and grabbed the collar of his robe.

Rye trembled, "That…"

Ludric narrowed his eyes, "You didn't make any contract with a demon, did you? I swear in the name of Solistus that I will kill you if–"

Before he could finish his sentence, a streak of lightning suddenly struck down from the sky. It hit right between Rye and Ludric, immediately throwing them back. The thunder boomed across the academy and shook the windows while the shock wave swept the trees back."

Rye fell to the ground and couldn't open his eyes for a while. The sudden bright light hurt his eyes and his ears were also ringing.

"Rye!" Godford hurriedly went to him, "You alright?"

Rye nodded and slowly opened his eyes, "What just happened?"

"I don't know. Lightning came out of nowhere," Godford was stunned, "You're really alright. No scratch at all."

Rye wanted to prop his body up when his hand touched something on the ground. Looking down, it was the sunflower he mysteriously got at the chapel. It was utterly burnt to crisp.

A few seconds later, rain started pouring down.

"Woah…Did the sunflower attracted the lightning? That's why you shouldn't accept things from ghosts. It's cursed!" Seeing that Ludric was still lying on the ground, Godford quickly helped Rye up, "Come on, let's get out of here."

The two of them rushed out of the gate and headed right to the dormitory. They entered Godford's room and slumped to the ground.

"Damn…I don't know if you're super lucky or unlucky that the lightning hit there." Godford gasped for breath.

"Lucky. Very lucky." Rye gripped his chest which was still pounding loudly.

"Too bad we can't make any sunflower seed now."

"Mind if I stay here tonight?"

Godford nodded, "Yeah, don't want to risk getting raided in the middle of the night."

"Don't say such scary things…"

Fortunately for them, the next day was the weekend. There was no need for them to get out of their room, so they holed themselves inside. It would be bad if they walked around outside and encountered Ludric's party.

"I thought I was already fine from not seeing Ludric for 6 years. But once I saw him yesterday, he's just as scary as usual." Rye rolled the dice and moved his pawn.

"More like, isn't he six times scarier than before?" Godford agreed and rolled the dice, "It's awesome how other people could approach him so easily."

"Because he acts friendly to them. His eyes are also a factor."

"It's scary how your parents thought of him as an angel."

"It's also scary how he could beat us up without losing his angelic front."

Rye and Godford recalled their childhood times when they always got beaten up by Ludric for no reason other than relieving stress and killing boredom. They both shuddered.

"Ah…are we the only victims of his abuse?" Godford inwardly cried while he moved his pawn back 3 squares.

"I think so…"

When weekday arrived, they didn't have any choice but to go to the academy. They hoped that Ludric was too busy to chase Rye around.

Fortunately for them, their wish came true. Ludric didn't come to the academy at all. From what they heard, the hero party was preparing to go to the south border. Right now, they were staying at the palace which was an hour away from the academy.

"Teacher Rye, so you're really the hero's younger brother!" Jack shouted from his seat when he saw Rye entered the class.

"…Huh?"

"Don't play dumb, Teacher Rye! Why didn't you tell us? Isn't it cool being the hero's brother?" Another one shouted.

"The hero confirmed it you know? You can't hide it anymore!"

Rye, "…"

Ludric didn't deny it? Was it so the students could compare them?

"Teacher Rye, being the hero's brother means you're very powerful too, right? Why did you become a teacher instead of saving the world with your brother?"

"Now that I think about it, Teacher Rye never told us his heritage."

"Oh, you're right! Teacher Rye, what's your heritage?" Jack immediately asked.

"Tell us! Tell us!"

Rye knocked the board a few times as usual, "Class is starting. If you're all still noisy, I'll make you copy the history of Yigiris Kingdom today."

The students obediently shut up.

Jack raised his hand, "Teacher Rye, is your heritage [Supreme teacher]?"

"Hahaha! That's totally possible."

"You're genius, Jack."

"But if Teacher Rye is a supreme teacher, shouldn't he be the principal instead?"

"Ahem!!" Rye cleared his throat and smiled, "Yigiris Kingdom. Submit by the end of the day. Jack, you're also copying Torihigen's civil war."

The students cried in dismay.

After the class ended, the students immediately rushed to start copying their punishment assignment as Rye left.

As promised, he treated Godford to lunch at the cafeteria.

"He didn't deny it?" Godford was also surprised, "So, the whole school knows now?"

"Whose fault is that?"

"You really hold a grudge…" Godford laughed awkwardly and continued eating.

"In result, the students asked me about my heritage." Rye ate another dice of beef.

"Ah…No way you'd told them though."

"I can't, I don't want to, and I don't have any reason to." Rye finished his soup.

They were heading back to the office when one of their colleagues approached them in a hurry.

"Rye, you are summoned by the principal."

Rye nodded, "I understand."

Once their colleague left, Godford opened his mouth anxiously, "What do you think it's about?"

"Something related to Ludric most likely," Rye took a deep breath and exhaled, "Wish me luck."

"I think you used it up when the lightning struck yesterday…" Godford doubted.

"Then transfer your luck to me and be unlucky for me." Rye left.

"That's impossible…"

Rye went to the principal office. He knocked the door and entered once the principal let him.

"You're here, Mr. Cazmere." The principal greeted him.

"Good afternoon, Principal," Rye slightly bowed and sat down across the principal, "What is it that you called me here for?"

"You are relieved from your duty as of today," The principal shoved him a check, "This is your salary from this month until the end of your contract, penalty money for breaking our contract before its term, and compensation for the sudden notice."

Rye froze in place, "…Huh? Why…?"

"You are to join the hero party starting tomorrow by the order of Sir Ludric."

Rye got up, "I refuse. I am satisfied as it is becoming a teacher here. I also have not finished my curriculum for my students. You want me to leave halfway through the semester? What about their study?"

"Mr. Cazmere, you are truly a capable teacher. The students' grades in your course have all risen thanks to you. I also do not want you to leave if I must choose, but it's the hero's order. This check is also given by him to ensure your leave."

"This is too absurd. Just because he's the hero, he can't just…!" Rye was speechless.

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Cazmere. Please don't make it difficult for me." The principal bowed his head and offered him the check once more.

Rye stood there in disbelief. He left without taking the check.

Why? Why must Ludric come into his life again? Everything was going well in the 6 years of Ludric's absence. Ludric himself was also doing well. They both lived their separate life perfectly fine.

Did Ludric hate seeing him living well that much?

Rye headed straight to the chapel.