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AFTER THE PRIVATE CELEBRATION that occurred at the Sinclaire residence, Max drove off with his most trusted butler at the front of the car, his suitcase at the back of the trunk, while he sat in the middle, staring at the view outside the car window.

     Max reaches for his collar and instantly smiles when he realizes that there are brooches on them once again. Despite going to a different school all by himself, Max didn't feel empty at all. The leaders he conquered took the time to give their crown brooches back to him. They believe that Max will be able to finish this task successfully, and that's what he's gonna do.

     "You seem happy, Leigh. I thought you'd feel down since you're moving to a different school for a month," Étienne says, instantly making Max let go of his collar so he can look back at his butler through the rearview mirror.

     "Well, for starters, Keigo will still be there. And it's not like it's permanent," Max answers. "And besides, I got to see my friends before I left. Nothing could make me feel happier than that."

      Étienne looks back at his master and tries his best not to smile. He never thought that he'd ever see Max like this. Étienne has literally watched his young master grow from a baby to a young adult who can now stand for himself.

     In the past, when Luna was still alive, Max was a crybaby. He was quiet too, and always followed his mother's orders despite wanting to play like the kids his age. But when Luna died and when he lost his memory, he became distant and angry. He then got acquainted with the troublesome heir, Jontell Rosario, and things just escalated there.

     But after enrolling at J.S High, Max was now starting to change for the better. Étienne never expected that he'd see Max be himself and enjoy the life that he deserved after all the heartaches he had experienced in the past. If given a chance, Étienne would watch over his master forever and protect the smile he has on his face until his last breath. But for now, Étienne has to make sure the child he has taken care of continues to grow into a capable and honorable man.

     That's his only purpose.

     "Did you know, Étienne, my father is going to step down as chairman during the company's anniversary," Max suddenly blurts out, almost making Étienne step on the brakes because of how surprised he was by the news.

     "P-pardon me, master, but did I just hear you right? Did you just say that Master Denzel is—"

     "Yes, he's stepping down," Max repeats, and this time, Étienne hits the brakes in shock, instantly making Max lean forward, his face almost hitting the divider in front of him.

     "You nincompoop! What are you doing?" Max asks as he looks at his butler.

     "This can't be. Why would he do such a thing? After everything he's done," Étienne says instead, the words slipping out of his mouth before he could even realize what he had just uttered out loud.

     Max looks at his butler with suspicious eyes but decides not to interrogate him. After all, he's well aware that Étienne has secrets he doesn't wish to tell his master, and Max isn't gone force him to spill it out if he doesn't want to.

     "Anyway, I know you're surprised, but that's what he decided on. The old man said it was like a gift. Obviously, I have all rights to claim my inheritance as the heir of the company, but I feel like he meant something else. Like he's permanently going to...leave," Max explains, a sad expression appearing on his face again as he remembers the conversation they had earlier.

     Max has always hated his father, and most of that hate was because he cheated on his mother. He sees his father as this evil villain, but the more he regains his memories, the more he realizes that the only memories he has of his father are good ones. Was he really mad about the affair? Or was this hatred born from something else? Something that Max just doesn't remember?

     "You seem troubled about this decision, Leigh. Didn't you always wish to have independence?" Étienne then asks, and Max immediately looks away from his butler before clearing his throat.

     "I'm just worried about the company. I understand that my cousin Jean is still the CEO, so the company will still run smoothly. But I'm pretty sure the board of directors would try to vote for a chairman as soon as they can before I turn 18. They've always hated me after all," Max explains, which was true. Jean can stall them for as long as he can, but if given the chance, they might end up banning together and cast their votes. If Max doesn't have enough supporters on the board, having the highest shares won't be enough for him to inherit the company.

     "Most of the board members are in favor of the Sinclaire's," Max explains.

     "Not really the Sinclaire's, Leigh. They're in favor of Denzel like they've always been for years. The next candidate that might take the position is his brother Dante, but not all the directors like him either. You still have a high chance to get into their good side, and your father stepping down is a great opportunity to do so," Étienne explains, and Max couldn't help but agree.

     The board, as hard as it is to believe, doesn't really pick favorites. The person who has the most potential to bring the company to greater heights is the person they'll support. For them, Max is just a kid, but if he proves to them that he is more than just his young age, the decision to choose him as chairman won't be as difficult.

     "As much as I want to think about the company, I have something to focus on first, and that's the issue with the House of Kings. It might not sound as important, but I have this feeling that the things happening in our school are related to what happened in my past. That's why I have to do this," Max explains, and Étienne couldn't help but nod his head in understanding.

     "That's why we also have to go. I don't want to be late on my first day," Max then explains, and Étienne chuckles this time before starting the car again and driving off.

     Max sighs and looks out of the window again, mentally preparing himself as they drive closer to the House of Bishops. But as time went by, Max noticed that the road they were taking wasn't leading them to St. George Academy at all. Max immediately looks back at his butler to question him, but before he can even do so, the car suddenly stops. Max looks out of the window to check, but when he finally realizes where they are, his checks and ears instantly start turning red.

     This was Gavriil Alexeev's apartment.

     "W-What on earth are we doing here?" Max embarrassingly asks as he glances at his butler, who has this smug look on his face which annoys Max even more.

      "I was asked to drop you off here by your friend, Felix Campbell. I'm not entirely sure what this place is, but it seems like someone here would like to speak with you before you transfer to your new school," Étienne explains, obviously bluffing about not knowing where they are.

     "Seriously, Felix? Did Gav ask you to do this?"

     "Shall we leave instead if you're in such a hurry?" Étienne then asks, and Max rolls his eyes before heading out of the car and slamming the door shut.

     Max fixes his uniform as he walks inside the apartment. He quickly heads to the unit he's frequently been to and fixes his hair and his uniform for one last time before finally knocking on the door. The hallway is silent for a while, his knocks echoing as he continues to call the attention of the person inside. But after the fourth knock, the door finally opens, revealing a vice president who was still getting ready to go to school.

     "Leigh..."

     "Gav..." Max says back, staring at Gavriil, who is wearing their white uniform without the coat, the boots, and their infamous peak cap.

     "You're here. I didn't know Felix would actually tell you," Gavriil says with a bright smile, making Max smile too.

     "Well, he actually told my butler," Max answers. "May I come in?" He then asks.

     "Yes, of course. Please come in."

     Max walks inside and looks around the apartment while Gavriil closes the door behind them. Whenever Max visits, Gavriil's place will always be spotless. But this time, there were tons of boxes filled with document after document after document.

     "I apologize if the place is a mess. Since the reranking just ended, and the 3rd semester will start next month, the Elites have been busy, and I had to bring some of the work home. Well, you should know since you're an Elite now, but of course, that title has to wait," Gavriil explains as Max takes the white coat and the cap from the sofa.

     "To be honest, apart from the apartment, you look like a mess too," Max then says as he walks towards Gavriil so he can help him wear his coat. He then moves in front of the vice president to put the cap on for him as well, but before Max can even do so, Gavriil touches his cheek, making Max stop.

     "I apologize if you had to go here even though you're in much of a hurry. And I couldn't really visit myself because there's so much on my plate, and I—"

     "Hey, it's fine. Don't worry about it," Max says as he reaches out to brush Gavriil's hair. The two of them stare at each other again before smiling like two teenagers on a first date.

     "You look good in your new uniform."

     "Oh yeah?"

     "But you look better in J.S High's uniform. So return after a month with victory. I'll be waiting for you here," Gavriil says as he leans close to press his lips on Max. Max slowly closed his eyes as he prepared for the kiss, but just as their lips were only inches away from each other, Gavriil's eyes widened like he remembered something important.

     "Before that..."

     Max was surprised as Gavriil rushed to his bedroom. After a while, he runs back to Max and takes his hand, making Max let go of his cap. "I thought that a ring would be too much of an overkill, and I don't want to give you a necklace since you already have one. So for now, this will do," Gavriil explains as he starts putting something around Max's wrist.

     Max looks down and sees the bracelet that the vice president made him wear. It's a thin silver bracelet that has a small blue diamond in the middle. It was simple but very elegant looking. Something that fits Max's image very well.

     "Will you be so kind as to wear such a selfish gift while we part?" Gavriil asks, and the gesture surprises Max because Gavriil is never really the romantic type. Both of them weren't. Max isn't the type to receive such gifts either, so his reaction made Gavriil look worried.

     "Y-You don't have to wear it if it's too much," Gavriil says in a panic. He reaches out to remove the bracelet from Max's wrist, but Max quickly pulls his hand away from the vice president, startling him.

     "Don't take it away," Max says like a kid whose candy was being stolen.

     Gavriil stares at him in shock, but then he starts laughing afterward. He didn't expect his boyfriend to have such a reaction to it.

     "Sorry, I thought you hated it," Gavriil says.

      Max doesn't say anything as he starts staring at the bracelet, his eyes almost sparkling. That was enough confirmation for Gavriil to know that Max loved his gift. Because despite all the riches and the diamonds and the gold, this was the most valuable thing Max had ever received from someone other than his brother.

     "Thank you," Max genuinely says. "I'll treasure it."

     "You're welcome," Gavriil replies.

     "So is this like a hidden label that says I'm taken, and no one should approach me?" Max jokingly asks next. He assumed that Gavriil would play along, but then the heir walked up to him and seriously said, "It should be loud and clear this time. Since you're away from me, I have to be careful."

     Max's eyes widen in shock, and his cheeks start to burn in complete embarrassment.

     "Gav, I don't think anyone in that school will like me the way you like me. Besides, I'm still transferring to an all-boys school. According to studies, there are only an average of 8 percent of students in a school that will be attracted to the same gender," Max explains.

     "I can't believe you just gave me a percentage. But besides the point, there's still 8 percent. Being in an all-boys school didn't stop Keigo from confessing to you. And that absolutely didn't stop me," Gav then says, wrapping his hands around Max's waist, instantly changing the mood.

     "It's very troublesome to have you as my boyfriend, after all," Gavriil whispers as he leans forward for a kiss. This time, no one pulled away. And as Gavriil's lips touched Max's, everything around them became quiet again, almost like they were the only people in the world at that very moment.

     Gavriil continues to kiss Max, tasting him while Max drapes his arms around his neck. Max then pushes Gavriil down the sofa, making him sit on top of his lap. But as Max opens his mouth to kiss Gavriil even deeper, the vice president immediately looks away, panting heavily as he endures the temptation of getting devoured by the young heir.

     "Calm down, babe," Gavriil whispers as Max looks back at him with eagerness.

     "Not yet?" Max asks, his sweet tone instantly making Gavriil clench his fist to endure it further.

     "Not yet," he answers, and Max sighs before resting his head on Gavriil's chest.

     "Why do you keep avoiding me like this?" 

     "It's because I'm older."

     "That's not fair," Max then replies, and Gavriil smiles before gently kissing Max's head.

     "Stand up before your uniform gets crumpled," Gavriil then instructs. But before Max could get off him, the heir looked straight into his eyes and said, "We won't be able to see each other for a month. I'm going to miss you...and everyone else in J.S High."

     "I know," Gavriil answers as he gently presses his forehead against Max. After closing his eyes, he whispers to him, "Take my hand, and don't let go..."

     "And I'll walk with you forever," Max replies, leaning forward to give Gavriil one last kiss.

     "Take care of J.S High while I'm away."

     "I will. Just come back as soon as possible."

     "I will."

...

"We're here, Master Leigh," Étienne says as he parks in front of the main entrance of St. George Academy, which looks more like a cathedral than an actual school building.

     "Looks like no one's home. Are we too early?" Max wonders as he looks at his watch. He thought it was still around 7 AM, but when he checked, it was already 7:50 AM, just ten minutes before the assembly starts at the atrium.

     "Maybe everyone's already at the assembly," Max says as Étienne rushes out of the car to open the door for him. Max then steps out before fixing his uniform and looking at the magnificent structure in front of him, while Étienne opens the trunk and pulls out Max's luggage for his one-month stay in his new school.

     As Max marvels at the facade, a familiar face suddenly walks out of the entrance. As soon as Max saw who it was, a smile instantly appeared on his face. It was none other than the Saints' president, Justice Thorndyke. The only president among the five houses who is a third-year student. And the president that Max also met when he and his friends went to the pub named The Mask.

     "Maximilian Sinclaire! Welcome to the House of Bishops," President Justice says as he walks towards Max with a bright smile. He instantly sees the brooches on his collar, but the Saint tries his best to ignore such a medal."I apologize if the welcome is a bit dry. Everyone is still asleep at this hour. You're rather early."

     "Early? I thought your classes started at eight like in J.S High," Max says in confusion, and Justice laughs before handing Max the envelope that he's been holding since he arrived.

     "This envelope contains some important documents you might need, such as your handbook, the school map, and your schedule. It can be a little confusing, but since all the students live on campus, our schedule is a bit different from yours. On Mondays, the classes start after lunch. Because every Sunday we devote ourselves to prayer, so students are given ample time to reflect and rest before starting another day in school," Justice explains, almost making Max drop his mouth in shock.

     Max isn't the religious type, even though both his families are Roman Catholics, so he's not used to such a routine. But of course, since he's already here, the best he can do is respect the norms and do what is expected of him.

     "That's why you still have a few hours to get comfortable before meeting the rest of the students at lunch. Now, shall we?" Justice asks, and Max nods his head before turning to Étienne.

     "Shall I accompany you so I can carry your things?" Étienne then asks, not daring to make his master carry all the heavy load himself. Étienne was honestly expecting someone to carry the luggage for him, but no one else came apart from the council president, and it's pretty obvious that he's not the one who's going to carry Max's things for him.

     "N-No, it's fine. I'll see you soon, Étienne," Max then says as he grabs two of the bags that he packed earlier.

     Étienne bows to his master for one last time before glancing at the council president. Justice still had this smile on his face, but when he saw the look Étienne gave him, he almost flinched. It was obviously a warning that whatever happens to Max on this campus, he's the person Étienne is going to run to with no hesitation.

     "W-Well then, follow me," Justice says as he and Max walk inside the campus.

     Justice looks back and finds Étienne still watching them. But when they finally got inside, the president released a sigh of relief before looking at Max again with the same smile Ian would usually have on his face. It's the smile that everyone calls the 'political smile.'

     "Alright, Sinclaire, it's still a little quiet, but when the bell rings, you're going to be surprised. I'm not sure about J.S High, but St. George Academy has its own rowdiness that you might find similar," Justice says while Max continues to look at the interior with awe.

     "Beautiful, isn't it?" Justice then says when he notices the look on Max's face. "I can give you a tour after classes, but for now, I'm only going to show you to your dorm."

     The two of them walked out of the cathedral and into a gated area that had four other buildings, each with a different feel to it.

     "We have five dormitories here. Three are assigned by ranks, which I know you're already familiar with. These are gaffers, dwellers, and serfs. No matter what year you are in, you're going to be in a dorm with the students of the same title," Justice explains, and Max starts mentally noting the information down like he did when he first enrolled in J.S High.

     "The Gaffers' dormitory is called Paradise Cove. The Dwellers' dormitory is called Purgatory Refuge, and lastly, for the lowest rank, we have the Serfs' dormitory, which we call Hell Sanctum," Justice explains further, impressing Max even more because each dormitory has a symbol and a banner at the front.

     "Like your rank, these dormitories have their own perks and facilities. The lower your rank is...well...the uglier your dorm is," Justice says, which Max honestly already expected. "It encourages the students to rank higher because who wants to live in a shitty dorm, right? That's the reason why we have fewer serfs here."

     "I see your point. I guess," Max says before looking at the two other dorms that almost looked like temples. The only difference is that the other one is white, while the other building is completely black.

     "Are those the other two dorms?" Max asks next.

     "That's right. The white one is called Saints Haven. That's where the top 10 students stay, which is the best dormitory here on campus. The other one, which is usually the noisiest one, is for the brotherhoods. We call that...Dantes Inferno, because each brotherhood represents one of the deadly sins," Justice says, intriguing Max even more.

     Now he really wants to meet the brotherhoods now.

     "Anyway, we should go to your dorm and get you settled."

      "Wait, you know my real title, right?" Max suddenly asks, making President Justice stop on his heel to look back at him. Max didn't have to verbally explain that he's now a member of the Elites, but it seems like the question alone made Justice understand what Max was trying to say.

     "Oh yes, I am aware. And I am also aware that we have to keep that hidden for now," Justice answered.

     "Okay, that means I'm not staying in Saints Haven but instead in Paradise Cove, right? After all, I'm still a gaffer," Max explains next.

     Max thought Justice was going to smile at him again, like how he's been doing since he welcomed him outside. But to his surprise, the smile on Justice's face turns into a sadistic grin, almost making Max take a step back. Max has only been in the House of Bishops for less than thirty minutes, but he can already tell that President Justice is very different compared to President Ian.

     "Did no one mention it to you yet?" Justice asked, and the question alone made Max gulp.

     "Maximilian Leigh Sinclaire, starting today, you will be back to square one. Everything you have achieved in J.S High means nothing here, which means you are once again in the lowest rank, making you a serf," Justice reveals, and Max immediately grabs hold of the brooches in his collar, trying to understand what he just heard.

      "Now, welcome to the House of Bishops. Let us see how fast you will climb this time, brotherhood tamer."

- END -