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"YES! JANUS FUCKING Sinclaire! The president of the brotherhood association, that Janus! He's literally here, and he's talking to Max as we speak," Perseus says in a panic while he tightly holds onto the telephone he borrowed at the front desk.

     "What are you so worried about?" Justice asks from the other line. "We're talking about Max here. Do you think he's the type to cry about his worries to his uncle? And besides, even if Max did start telling him, then maybe it's about time President Janus finds out about the truth."

     "Are you crazy?! What will the Ministry do if they find out that we let something like this happen? We're fucked! I don't want to go back to the rectory!"

     "Calm down! Jesus," Justice answers back. "There's nothing much we can do. The best course of action is staying put. Just see how things will go. If anything serious happens, call me. Just make sure you all come back in one piece. Max will be in a lot of trouble too if he doesn't come back soon."

     "But—" Before Perseus can even finish his sentence, Justice ends the line, making Perseus curse while slamming the phone down in irritation.

     "Am I the only one worried about this?" Perseus asks, practically biting his nails in anxiety. When he realized that the nurses were looking at him weirdly, he cleared his throat and headed toward the room where Max was.

     Perseus tries to stay calm as he stands right in front of the door. When he finally composed himself, he grabbed the doorknob and turned it. But as he did so, he was surprised to discover that the door was locked. "It's locked?" he asks confusingly. He was about to knock on the door, but then it opened, revealing Janus Sinclaire himself, looking down at him with his expression serious.

     Perseus flinches at the overwhelming presence, but he immediately moves aside, his head low to show the president his respect.

     "My nephew will be discharged soon. You can take him back to St. George. I'll handle the necessary paperwork downstairs," Janus says as he starts walking away from him.

     "Understood, President Janus," Perseus answers, his head still low.

     "And one more thing, Saints' Secretary, Perseus Odair," Janus then adds, making Perseus widen his eyes in shock because he didn't expect him to know his full name at all.

     "I don't usually have favorites, but if anything happens to my nephew..." Janus pauses, and then he looks over his shoulder so he can catch a glimpse of the terrified Saint. "Well, let's just say I won't be as forgiving as the idols you all follow. Do you understand what I mean, Mr. Odair?"

     "Y-Yes...yes of course."

     "Yes of course what?"

     "I...I m-mean...I understand, President Janus. We'll make sure nothing bad happens to Sinclaire."

     "Good," Janus finishes before finally walking away, making Perseus swallow the lump in his throat.

     "Are you sure you're okay? You know you can always stay for a few more hours until you feel better," Keigo asks as he and Max finally step out of the room. "Oh, Perseus, you're here. Shall we head back? Max said he's ready," Keigo then adds when he spots the secretary waiting outside, his face almost pale.

     "You look like you've seen a ghost," Max manages to joke.

     Perseus gulps again and turns to look at the two serfs. "You can head downstairs. I'll get the van."

     Before Max and Keigo can even say anything, Perseus immediately turns around and leaves, making the two look at each other confusingly.

     "What the hell happened to him?"

     "Who knows?" Max answers, shrugging his shoulder.

     The two started walking down the stairs so they could head back to St. George Academy, their task with Janus finally complete. But while they were walking, Keigo moved close to Max and asked him, "What's your plan now? Are you still going to check on Klaus and his brother?"

     When Max heard the question, he took a deep breath and answered, "To be honest, I genuinely pity them. Imagine being identified as the brothers who were sexually assaulted by their own family...it's terrible. But at the same time, I can't forget the things they've done in the past. With River's sister, J.S High, Class I-A...everything. My pity doesn't hold the same weight as my anger towards them. They will face the consequences of their actions either way."

     "Well, I didn't expect less from you," Keigo replies. "But how are we going to find out more about them? Like what your uncle said, we can only go two ways—the Ministry, or your cousin, Don."

      "I'd rather get shot than meet up with that man," Max answers in a heartbeat. "I don't want to talk to Don yet. I already had an argument with his father so I don't want to add more fuel to the fire while everyone is still burning. Besides, I have more chances with the Ministry. If I confront Don about this he'll know we're up to something."

     "You always know what to do, huh?"

     "Oh please. We wouldn't be in the hospital at all if I did."

...

Perseus, Max, and Keigo arrived at the gates of St. George Academy, which others would consider a missed opportunity since they could have easily just escaped. The Saints' secretary was nervous while they waited for the gates to open, while Max and Keigo didn't really have much of a concern about the whole situation. When the large gates finally opened, Perseus drove inside, but his expression changed in an instant when he saw a high priest waiting for them there. President Justice and Vice President Levi Dubois were also standing beside him.

     "Fuck," Perseus curses while gripping on the steering wheel.

     "Wait, is that one of the priests in the Ministry?" Keigo asks.

     "Don't say anything and just quietly head back to your dorms. We'll explain the situation and handle the rest," Perseus surprisingly answers, making Keigo and Max look at each other again since Perseus isn't really the type to say such nice things.

     As soon as Perseus parked the van, Max and Keigo headed out first. Levi looks at them and gestures them to go on ahead, so the two nod their heads and quickly make their way to the Hell Sanctum.

     "Now can you explain what is happening here?" the high priest asks with an eerie smile as soon as Perseus walks towards them.

     Perseus touches his chest to greet him, and then he opens his mouth to explain the situation. But before he can even put a word out, Justice grabs his hand and pulls him away so the priest can face the Saints' President instead.

     "Maximillian Leigh Sinclaire had a severe allergic reaction this morning. The clinic was down, and no one had the right medicine for him. I made the call to open the gate and bring him to the hospital. It was the only solution, especially since we haven't had a signal to call for a doctor," Justice calmly explains, showing no hint of fear or nervousness. He was there to explain the situation, and that was it.

     The priest stares at the council president while Perseus and Levi wait for a response. Soon after, he took a deep breath and looked around the state of their campus before saying, "It was a good call. I am aware the students are...suffering...but instances like these need quick judgment. You did a good job."

    Justice and Perseus were surprised, but they quickly thanked the priest before he changed his mind about the situation. But Levi, on the other hand, was not buying it at all.

     "Was this a good judgment because it was Max Sinclaire?" Levi suddenly asks, making Justice look back at him with his eyes wide in shock, almost like he was begging him to not continue whatever it is he's about to say.

     "I'm sure you're aware that Denzel Sinclaire stepped down and gave back the company to the Lemieux Family, which practically guarantees Max's inheritance. You know the risk if anything were to happen to him here," Levi bravely states, making the high priest look back at him this time.

     "I do not understand what you mean, Mr. Dubois, but a student's well-being is crucial to—"

     "You speak of the students' well-being now while this school is in literal hell?" Levi fires back, not even allowing the priest to speak. "I agree that having to open the gates for Max is the best call, but letting the students inside the gates suffer is a huge insult. St. George Academy has been in chaos for days now, but where were you? You're more present during Sunday donations but go missing the minute you're required to put on actual work," Levi continued to say, making Justice close his eyes and massage his temple, while Perseus gulped and took a step back, afraid of what might happen next.

     The priest stares at Levi for a while without giving a simple response. But soon after, he raises his hand and slaps Levi without any hesitation, surprising the two officers.

     "Levi!" Justice shouted, immediately blocking the vice to protect him. "Father, I apologize on Mr. Dubois's behalf. We have not slept properly for days because of what's been happening here. Please, I'll discipline him myself."

     "Mr. Justice Thorndyke, if you don't move—"

     "Please, Levi isn't feeling well and—" Before Justice can even explain anything, Perseus suddenly goes in between them and shouts, "President Janus found out about the state of our house!"

     As soon as Perseus said those words, everyone immediately became still. When Perseus notices that the three of them are now staring back at him, he gives out a heavy sigh and tries to act composed. Of course, what he said was a lie. Based on what the president said earlier, Max didn't say anything to Janus at all. But if it can buy them some time, then Perseus will have to lie his way out of this no matter what the outcome is.

     "What do you mean?" the priest finally asks.

     "The hospital called for Max's father, but Janus came instead as a proxy. I was surprised too, and then I heard Max telling him about the issue we're facing now. I also heard he might make a surprise visit," Perseus continues to lie, and for the first time, the side of the priest's mouth twitches, almost like he is not pleased with the news at all.

     "President Janus Sinclaire. It's been years since he visited," the priest says to himself before looking at Perseus again. "Are you certain of this?"

     "Yes," Perseus answers back as truthfully as he can.

     The priest glances back at Levi and Justice before adjusting his collar. Without even saying anything else, he turns around and hurriedly walks away. As soon as he was gone, the three council officers sighed in relief.

     "Levi, are you okay?" Justice then asks.

     "Don't worry. I'm fine," the vice answers while massaging his aching cheek.

     "Shit, I thought we were gonna get punished. I can't believe we got away with that," Perseus then says, making the two look at him.

     "Perseus, what you said about President Janus...was that true?" Justice then wondered. Perseus scratches the back of his head, trying to think of the perfect explanation for the mess they are now in. But before he can even make up an excuse, someone else answers behind them.

     "That was a lie. Obviously."

     "Max!" the three Saints shouted.

     Max emerged from the bushes, Keigo following right behind him while he removed leaves that got stuck in his hair since they'd been hiding since earlier.

     "W-What are you two doing? I thought you went back to your dorms?" Levi asks confusingly.

     "Well, that was the plan," Keigo answers with a tired sigh. "But Max here said we should watch from a distance in case any of you get in big trouble. After all, he's the reason why you had to open the gates."

    "Thanks, but...you're saying that President Janus still doesn't know?" Justice then asks, making Max sigh and massage his temple.

     "I don't know how many times I have to tell people this, but I'm not the type to whine to my family about mere school problems. Do you seriously think I'll just run to my uncle and tell him everything like some kid?" Max asks, making the others look at each other in silence.

    "I think it's best if you all talk somewhere private," another voice says. And when the white uniforms turned around, they were surprised to see that it was actually Vesper Hugo Cinna, who has a habit of sneaking into people when they're having private conversations.

     "Glad you can join the party," Justice sarcastically says to him.

     Vesper smiles at the president and flashes him the middle finger before looking back at Max. "Glad you're feeling better. Now, I suggest we all head inside before the brotherhoods spot you gathering here. You bunch are literally the most targeted white uniforms right now. One bomb and...bye-bye."

     Levi, Justice, and Perseus look at each other while thinking about the suggestion. But when they heard something explode at the other building, Justice immediately started working towards the serfs' dorm without even waiting for the rest.

     "What are you guys waiting for? Let's go."

     The three members of the Saints, along with Max, Keigo, and Vesper, entered the serfs' dormitory, which was the Hell Sanctum. For Levi and Perseus, this would have been their first time stepping foot inside, but for Justice, this almost felt like home.

     "This is the Serfs' Dorm? It's better than I imagined," Perseus complimented.

     "We cleaned it so of course it's better. And our security is top notch so the brotherhoods haven't been able to trash it yet," Keigo answered with confidence while they walked down the hall.

     The serfs started going out of their room to greet Max and Keigo after their hospital visit, but when they saw the Saints, they immediately stopped on their heels. Some even glared at them, which Levi wasn't even mad about. The serfs suffered the most in St. George. He understands if they're mad at them for not being able to protect them enough.

     "Let's talk here," Max then says when he enters their make-shift office where he and Keigo stayed the entire night while trying to look for clues about the Von Hatzfeld family.

     When they entered, Xander McLurkin and Stefan Kross were already inside. Xander was fixing another robot, while Stefan was busy cleaning the whiteboard.

    "Max you're ba—what the hell?! What are the Saints doing here? Well, minus Treasurer Adam Hall," Stefan says as the group enters the room.

     "Adam's been locked in his room since the brotherhoods attacked," Justice casually says as he approaches the two serfs. "So, this is like your headquarters, huh?"

     "What's going on? What are you guys doing here? Did something happen? Are you feeling okay?" Xander starts firing as he stands from his seat to face Max. Max smiles at his friend, thankful that he's worried, but he pats his shoulder and reassures him, "I'm okay. Things actually escalated in my favor."

     "What are you talking about?" Xander confusingly asks.

     Perseus and the other officers were confused as well, but when Perseus looked at the whiteboard that Stefan was erasing, he noticed something that made his eyes widen in shock.

     "K-Klyde Vitus Von Hatzfeld...why is his name written there?" Perseus asks in confusion and disbelief.  

     Keigo is about to make an excuse, but Max stops him and faces Perseus instead. There's no point in lying now. "Things have gone from bad to worse here if you all haven't noticed it yet. After the implementation of the Brotherhood Custom, everything has been clear. Ranks don't matter anymore. Serfs, Dwellers, Gaffers, and the Saints, we all shouldn't be divided like this. At this crucial time, we have to stick together."

     "What are you even talking about?" Perseus asks, not even interested in understanding everything that Max just said.

     "We're planning to take down the Ministry," Vesper then blurts out. And in that moment, Perseus, and even Levi and Justice, looked at the serfs with their eyes wide in complete shock.

     "What did you just say?" Levi asks, unsure if he heard it right.

     "I was trying to explain it properly but..." Max glared at Vesper first and then looked back at the council officers. "But yes, that's somehow the plan. We're gonna take down the Ministry one way or another, and to do that, we need to look for the Von Hatzfeld brothers as we believe that they're connected to what's happening here."

     "W-Wait, you can't just—" Before Perseus can even say anything, Max continues, "It was said that St. George Academy was bought by an unknown buyer, and it seems like the Ministry has been using this school as some sort of business to milk money out of the students through the Division Program that the previous president, Klyde Vitus Von Hatzfeld, proposed. If we can prove that something illegal has been happening here, the Ministry can be taken down, and the Brotherhood Association can take full control of this school again."

     "So that was the full plan? No wonder you asked me what's the fastest way to get to the Archbishop," Justice says, not even surprised.

     "Wait, you can't do that. Justice, Levi, are you even hearing what he's telling us right now? We can't let him—"

    "We need records of Klyde, and we know the Saints know where we can find it," Keigo adds, ignoring what Perseus was trying to say.

     When it was clear that no one was willing to listen to his concerns, Perseus finally took a deep breath and shouted, "St. George Academy isn't a school!"

     The moment he shouted those words out loud, Max and the others immediately looked at him with their brows furrowed in confusion, except for Levi and Justice who seemed to have known that from the very beginning.

     The room falls silent in an instant, but then Max tilts his head to the side and asks, "What are you talking about? St. George Academy isn't a school? How is that even possible?"

     Perseus turned to Justice and Levi who looked completely ashamed, but when no one was saying anything, Perseus clenched his fist and decided that it was time to reveal the school's secret that the Saints had been hiding for years.

     "You're right, St. George Academy was sold three years ago to another buyer. We were worried about the transfer of ownership, so we secretly checked the documents. That's where we saw it. That's where we saw that it's not a registered school at all. What's worse is that we think it was never a school to begin with. From the very beginning, even before we arrived. The school credits, the diplomas, they're all fabricated. We believe even the professors are fake. All the achievements the students made here wouldn't have any merit anymore if we were discovered. The graduates who are now working...they might not even be credible. The members of the Saints council would be investigated too and our future would be over. Even the brotherhoods don't know anything about this," Perseus revealed, leaving everyone's mouth open in complete disbelief.

     "So you're saying you knew all this?" Max asks, looking at Justice who couldn't look back at him anymore.

     "We only have a year left before we graduate. If the Ministry leaves...and if the illegal activities are discovered then all those years...all the years we suffered here...would have been for nothing. Do you understand what I mean now, Sinclaire? This is the reason why we never went against them. This is the reason why we never fucking left."

- END -