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SOMEONE WAS SUDDENLY KNOCKING on the door, making Janus Sinclaire remove his eyes from the screen of his computer. "Come in," he says, and the door starts to open, revealing a student in black uniform—a visitor that the school president did not expect to see at all.

     "Viktor?" Janus says as the leader of Busters, Viktor Alekovich Stepanov, enters the office with a serious look on his face, a look that you don't always associate when you mention Viktor.

     "What can I do for you?" Janus asks as the king approaches him.

     "How long have you known?" Viktor then asks.

     "What are you talking about this time?" Janus asks back, removing his eyeglasses and massaging his forehead. "I don't know why you suddenly came here and—"

      "Gavriil told me," Viktor interrupts, not letting Janus get a word out. "That man is loyal to only one person but there is someone else he will never be able to lie to and that is me. Now, I am fully aware that you have your own secrets and I have mine, but how long have you known that Lucas Ivory sold St. George Academy?" Viktor finally asks, and the question leaves the president completely stunned.

     "What?"

     "Don't fuck with me. There's no way you didn't know."

     Janus opens his mouth and tries to explain his side, but after some thought, he sighs and massages his temple. "Janet and I have been trying to fix this issue for years now. Do you seriously think I've been letting this happen?" he then reveals. 

     "I fucking knew it!" Viktor angrily shouted, startling Janus.

      "Why are you so upset? You've only cared about J.S High since the moment you arrived here and nothing else. The issue with St. George Academy has nothing to do with you or anyone here. I don't understand why you're acting like this," Janus answers, making Viktor sarcastically laugh this time.

     "I'm acting like this because you've been letting this happen for years! Why have you not fired Lucas Ivory? Why have you done nothing?!" Viktor continues to lash out.

     "Let me explain and I'll—"

     "You've always acted like you cared about your students but maybe they were right. Maybe you are just—"

     "We don't have enough evidence!" Janus finally shouted back while slamming his hands on his desk, which calmed Viktor down in an instant. When Janus realized that he had raised his voice, he took a deep breath and massaged his temple.

     "Viktor, St. George Academy is under the Brotherhood Association, which is led by me and four other people, as well as my sister Janet. If we make a move now without any documents or evidence that will prove Lucas Ivory did all this alone, who do you think will suffer more?" Janus asks, and Viktor no longer says anything.

     "The association will go down, along with the other four houses who did nothing wrong, and that includes J.S High. Now you tell me why I haven't done anything yet, Viktor Stepanov?" Janus continues to ask with a much more commanding voice, reminding Viktor whom he is speaking to.

     "I do not understand why you came here with so much hostility, and I can only guess it's because there is a student residing in that house now that you wish to protect, but you don't always fight in the frontline. There are a few things you need to sacrifice to save everything else. You should know this full well, Viktor," Janus then adds but with a much calmer voice this time, similar to a father scolding his son.

     Viktor was quiet for a while with his head down, staring at his feet like he was reflecting on something. But after a while, he looks back at Janus and asks him, "What kind of evidence do you need?"

     "Don't involve yourself with matters that don't concern you," Janus quickly answers, but Viktor doesn't care.

     "You know I can help you. I can—"

     "I already hired someone to help me. They've been staying in St. George Academy ever since I found out about what Lucas has been doing behind our backs," Janus suddenly reveals, catching Viktor off guard.

     "You hired someone? You?"

     "It was more like a favor," Janus explains. "I told him what I needed and he was able to find a way to get in without being suspected. Like I said, I'm not doing 'nothing'. I'm just not telling everyone. Does that satisfy you now, King?" Janus asks, and Viktor finally gives out a heavy sigh.

     "I didn't get mad because of what you might think," Viktor then explains before brushing his hair back with his fingers. "But before I take my leave, can you at least tell me who you hired? Hiring someone isn't your style, President Janus."

    Janus chuckles, and then he adjusts himself in his seat. "You actually know him well," he answers, making Viktor furrow his brows in confusion.

     "Who?"

...

"Curse them all...let this whole school burn," a familiar yet unfamiliar voice echoes inside the quiet halls of St. George Academy. No one said a word. No one laughed or made an offensive comment. Everything was just completely silent, which was later disrupted when the church bells at the cathedral started ringing, indicating that the Sunday Mass was about to begin.

     "It's time," Max says before nodding at Keigo who was holding a microphone that was connected to the speakers around the campus.

     Keigo takes a deep breath and clicks on something on his laptop that would change his voice. After clearing his throat, he finally announces, "Students of St. George Academy, please proceed to the atrium immediately. The path has been cleared, and the brotherhoods have temporarily been dealt with. I repeat, students of St. George Academy..."

     While Keigo was giving the announcement, Stefan gathered all the serfs and made them form four straight lines at their dormitory's lobby. When everyone was now ready, he instructed the other serfs to remove the chains and the plywood that was blocking their main door, fully opening it after weeks of being closed.

     With Stefan leading them, the serfs marched out of Hell Sanctum, wearing their uniforms and looking clean and sharp, almost like they didn't suffer from the outcome of the Brotherhood Custom.

     The other divisions didn't want to step out of their dorm as most of them found the announcement suspicious. But when they looked out of their windows and saw the serfs, the white uniforms slowly started heading out of their dorms as well. The dwellers followed first, and eventually, the Gaffers did as well when they spotted the members of the Saints.

     The atrium was filled with students in less than twenty minutes. And what was once noisy and rowdy, now became completely quiet and still. No one said a word, and for the first time in days, everyone was finally facing each other like this.

     The mighty gaffers looked tired and drained, the dwellers weren't even wearing their uniform anymore, while the serfs, who were once the laughingstock of the entire house, remained the only sane-looking bunch in their entire school. For a moment the higher ranks almost looked ashamed, but it only lasted for a second when Max and Keigo finally entered the atrium.

     "This is all your fault!" one of the gaffers instantly shouted, standing from the bleachers to angrily point at Max.

     "That's right! Everything went downhill when you arrived here! You should have never come!" another one shouted.

     The Saints looked at each other and decided to keep out of it for now, while Max just listened to the gaffers who started blaming him for everything that's happened. But while everyone was blaming everything on J.S High's representative, a serf suddenly stood up for him.

     "This has been your fault the entire time!!" the serf shouted back. "You're the reason why we've suffered all these years! You turned a blind eye to all of us when you've known full well that we've been treated poorly!"

     "He's right!" a dweller surprisingly agreed.

     "Your division tormented the ex-president until he lost it. You're the reason why everything became fucked up!"

     "Why are you blaming it all on us?! You heard the fucking tapes! The serfs contributed to his downfall more than the gaffers did! You're suffering now because of the things you've done! That was your karma all alone!"

     "You all deserved it!"

     Soon enough, as Max and the others expected, the quiet atrium turned into a building filled with students who couldn't wait to speak their minds. But in the midst of it all, someone finally spoke up, catching everyone's attention.

     "I can't believe none of you have changed!" a voice roared in the middle of the shouting and screaming, instantly making everyone stop so they could see who it was. When they turned their heads, they were surprised to see the leader of the serfs, Stefan Kross, standing in the middle of the atrium, the members of the Saints standing behind him while Keigo and Max were still near the entrance, quietly watching everything unfold.

     "We haven't changed at all," Stefan repeated with a much softer tone when everyone was now looking at him.

     Stefan turns to the Saints who encourage him to speak, so he takes a deep breath and looks back at each of the divisions, trying his best to hide his nerves. Stefan won't lie, when Max asked him if he could help speak to all the divisions, he was a bit terrified, and even now, facing the gaffers and dwellers who tormented them in the past, he couldn't help but have cold sweats. But this was their only moment, and everyone trusted him, so Stefan sucked it all up and finally opened his mouth to speak.

      "The gaffers, the dwellers, the serfs, and the brotherhoods...we all kicked down an innocent boy and turned him into a monster. The things Klyde did won't be justified, but we can't deny that we were involved in our own demise. We took a part in it, so blaming each other won't change anything," Stefan starts to explain, glad no one has tried to cut him off yet.

     "For the past two weeks, we have suffered together. Ranks didn't matter. Our titles didn't matter. We were all scared, and we were all treated like prey. The Serfs Division had to step out of their comfort zone and finally fight back to protect themselves. The Dwellers Division realized that they've been backed up by the gaffers for so long because they've been used like sidekicks, but when the going gets tough, none of the gaffers came to help them. And then the gaffers...The Gaffers Division who god just loves so much, finally understood how powerless it feels when the system doesn't favor them, yet after all this time...nothing has really changed," Stefan continues to say.

     "So you think we deserve to suffer too?" a gaffer finally asks.

     Stefan shakes his head, not even annoyed by the question, and then answers, "No. No one deserves to suffer. But the problem was, someone is. The things you have experienced the past few days, were how most students have lived for years. The funny thing is, we didn't even blame you. We blamed ourselves for not being rich enough, not being strong enough, or not being smart enough. People who have never suffered will always find reasons to blame anyone but themselves, and we envy you for such a mentality."

     "So you're saying the gaffers have been the problem all along? Is that what you're saying?" another gaffer asks.

     Stefan was about to answer, but then someone suddenly stood from the bleachers, surprising everyone because the person who stood before them was none other than 3rd-year gaffer, Tsukumo Asahi.

     "That's right. We all contributed to Klyde's downfall, but the one who proved Klyde to be right with his judgment was none other than the gaffers," Asahi answered, looking at Stefan and the Saints before looking back at the divisions.

     "I joined the Mr. Brains & Brawn pageant and carried the name of our house with great pride. I did everything I could because that was expected of me. I was a proud gaffer, and when I went back home with a title, I was actually overjoyed. But do you know what happened when I returned to my dorm?" Asahi then asks.

     The serfs and the dwellers didn't know what he was talking about, but based on how some of the gaffers were trying to look away from him, the White Uniforms could already tell what really happened.

     "The gaffers got mad and blamed me for losing over Max. For days they they didn't even speak to me like I'm some kind of outcast," Asahi revealed, which surprised the lower divisions because they never thought gaffers would hate on other gaffers too.

      "No one congratulated me. It was the first time our house won a title yet no one in my division congratulated me apart from the Saints..." Asahi paused and looked at the other two divisions before adding, "As well as the Dwellers and the Serfs who made me feel like doing my best on that pageant was actually worth it," Asahi revealed before giving out a soft smile.

     While the gaffers continued looking ashamed of themselves, Asahi sighed heavily and looked back at them. "So yes, the gaffers have always been the problem, so let's not act like victims here."

     "Well, I couldn't have said it any better," Stefan comments while smiling at Asahi.

     While everyone was trying to think of a fitting comeback, and once again shift the blame to someone else, Max and Keigo finally started walking in the middle of the atrium. They walked to the very spot where Max ended up being covered with red paint during his first day here. It was also the spot where he officially met up with the divisions.

     Stefan nodded his head to Max as he stepped back to give him the spotlight. Max is aware that these students are tired of seeing him, and are probably sick of hearing his voice too. But Max made up his mind the other day. This will be the last time he'll be speaking to all of them like this. After that, he will finally resign from his duties as a representative who wishes to help them.

     After this, they will be on their own, and Max can finally focus on his initial task, which is a task regarding PHD.

     He did everything he could.

     Now it's time Max went back to J.S High.

     "All of us here are specifically chosen," Max begins, his expression serious and his stance confident. "There are only five houses: the Pawns, the Rooks, the Knights, the Bishops, and the Kings. Five houses...and you were invited to enroll in the second strongest one."

     Max adjusts the brooches on his collar and takes a step forward. "Outside this campus, none of you are better than the other because you were all given the same invitation. It doesn't matter if you're an heir to a multimillion empire, a son of a governor, or from a family of doctors. All of you received an invitation, and that automatically makes you equal. But the moment you step foot inside this campus...that's how you'll make a difference," Max says, hoping the students of St. George are listening and not just hearing him.

     "What you do in the house you were given the privilege to enroll in is what matters here, not your outside title. We came to these houses to make a name for ourselves. You don't proudly rank up because you can give the highest donation. Because if we're gonna base it all on that then half the serfs in J.S High would have been gaffers by now. Heck, if you want to go there then I'll slap you with something else," Max says as he tries not to laugh at how ridiculous his next statement will be. Max would have never said something like this, but since this is how gaffers here do it, then he'll go as low as he can.

     "You all boast about your riches and power, yet none of you here are even members of Crème de la Crème!" Max shouted, almost making President Justice choke on air.

     "The only one here is rank 6 and he's in a brotherhood. J.S High has five, yet our gaffers have more pride than you," Max continues to say, somehow finding it strange that he's now talking highly about his school like this. If this was months ago, he would have never said anything.

      "The moment you leave St. George Academy, what will you all become? Hmm? What the fuck have you all learned here other than spending your mommy and daddy's money? How are you going to be proud of yourselves when you know that the only reason why you survived this school is because the Ministry favored you? How are you all going to live a normal life knowing that hundreds of other students suffered for your sake?!" Max angrily asks them.

     "This wasn't our fault! Klyde implemented the rules and the Division Program, and the Ministry made sure we—"

     "Don't give me that bullshit!" Max shouted back, surprising everyone, even Stefan and his friends because they never expected Max to erupt like this.

     "Just because you were given a gun doesn't mean you start shooting everyone! You all knew what this school has become. You knew not to pull the trigger but you did. People who act like they didn't have a choice but to not do the right thing is what I hate the most. You acted high and mighty like you all ruled this house...but why have you not done anything to change it?"

     Max continued to look at the students, not even realizing that he was already clenching his fist while trying to control his emotions. He couldn't help but remember how the serfs suffered and how badly they'd been treated. He also couldn't help but remember how some gaffers in J.S High shed literal blood, sweat, and tears to rank up and be where they are now while students here have it easier.

     Max was frustrated, and he couldn't even understand why he's been so affected by St. George Academy, or why he finds it so important. But behind this unknown frustration, he just wants to help them become better...just this once...it would be enough for him.

     "I'm embarrassed to acknowledge the fact that there are students like you who are studying in one of the five great houses that white and black uniforms worked hard to reshape. Someone...s-someone even died, hoping that one day, students like us will have a place that is better from the cruel world our families bound us in, but you don't even care," Max says, trying his best not to shed a tear after his last statement.

     Max didn't really mention a name, but Levi also knew who he was talking about, and all he could do was wipe a tear away from his cheek.

     "If you cannot understand the reason why you're here then this house doesn't need another soul to save. The Saints have already discussed this with me, so stop wasting our time. All of you, not just the gaffers, we're giving you our final plea. If you believe the situation in this house doesn't need any change...if you believe that St. George Academy is not the school you are willing to change for...then head back to your dorms, pack your bags, and go. The gates will be open...we will no longer stop you."

- END -