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"MASTER LEIGH? SORRY TO interrupt but Sir Kim called for you. Said it was urgent," a maid says while knocking on Max's bedroom door.

     Max, who just finished removing his white coat and necktie, opens the door and faces the maid with an exhausted expression. "Something urgent? What on earth is his problem now?" The young heir says in frustration, thanking the maid before heading downstairs to find Kim Hee-joon pacing back and forth in the living room.

     "I don't know what you want, but you have to suck it up because we have a lot to do. I also want to teach you something important that might just save your life," Max announces.

     "Sinclaire," Joon calls out as soon as he sees Max approaching him. "We have a problem."

     "We? I doubt it involves me," Max can only assume.

     "Viktor is heading to St. George Academy," Joon blurts out.

     "Oh," Max reacts. "I guess it is our problem."

     "What are going to do? We can't let Viktor find out that I'm not there. If he finds out that I've been hiding from him, he might do something to me. Even worse, he might do something to St. George Academy, or even PHD. Viktor never cared about PHD, to begin with. We have to do something," Joon says in a panic. And the way he was reacting to this almost made Max feel worried about it too.

     Max already had a hunch that Viktor would be suspicious after what happened in the courtyard earlier, but he wasn't expecting the king to head to the House of Bishops to confirm it. Maybe Max should have done something sooner after all.

     "The number of times you said 'we' in a single sentence is making me feel proud of you for some reason. But I know that this isn't the time for that, so let me think of something," Max says, taking a seat on the sofa and pulling Joon with him so the poor ice prince can calm down.

     "I can call for a helicopter and bring you to St. George but that might take too much time. I can also call Gavriil and ask for his help but the moment Viktor sees him, he'll instantly know that I'm somehow involved in all this," Max says, thinking of a plan out loud.

     Joon patiently waits for Max to work his magic, just like how he always does. After a couple more minutes of brainstorming, Max finally turns to Joon and says, "I don't think Viktor is sure that you're missing, let alone hiding in J.S High."

     "What do you mean?"

     "He's heading to St. George Academy because he knows that they won't be able to hide the fact that you're not there. Because if he was certain that the person he saw in the courtyard was you, he would have gone straight to me or Krist," Max explains.

     "Viktor can easily confirm his suspicions to that jester, if that's what you're worried about," Joon answers a matter-of-factly, but Max shakes his head and believes otherwise.

     "You're right, but like I said, he's not one hundred percent sure. If he was confident, he'd ambush Master Joker now and not waste any second, but he's afraid he might be wrong, and I'm pretty sure the last thing he wants is to look like a fool in front of the baron," Max explains, surprising Joon because he never expected the young heir to still be that observant when it comes to his childhood friend.

     "Alright, I'll give you that. But what about it? That still doesn't change the fact that Viktor is heading to St. George as we speak," Joon then replies, but Max just shushed him, which Joon wasn't very happy about.

     While Joon is swallowing his pride just so Max can help him, Max pulls out his phone from his pocket and starts looking through his contacts. "St. George won't be able to help us, so our best bet is that we make sure the king doesn't reach that house no matter what. That's our only chance of keeping you safe."

     "Keeping me safe?" Joon softly whispers as he watches Max intensely scroll through his phone, worrying about this matter when he could just easily throw Joon under the bus if he wanted to.

     Joon knows in his heart that Max doesn't entirely owe him anything. He also knows that the promise he forced on Max about keeping him away from Viktor wasn't something he was expecting Max to take seriously, but seeing as though this matter was life and death for Max, Joon couldn't help but feel his chest ache again.

     Maybe it's not love, god forbid that it is, but Joon definitely feels something towards Max. He just doesn't know what it is yet.

     "I got it!" Max shouts, startling Joon and interrupting his thoughts. 

     "I got it," Max repeats, looking at the ice prince again with much more enthusiasm. "We're gonna stop that king from visiting the House of Bishops. This might be a bit risky, but this man is indebted to me. And lucky for you, he's someone who might just be a little more obsessed with that Stepanov than you are."

...

"Well well well...what the fuck is this bastard doing here?" Viktor says as he quickly heads out of his car, staring at the other car parked in front of them. Soon after, a man Viktor is very familiar with emerges, making the side of Viktor's mouth twitch in irritation.

     "Sorry, were you in a hurry?" the man asks, almost making Viktor burst out in laughter.

     "Oh you're already getting on my nerves and I haven't even asked anything yet," Viktor says, his grin slowly turning into something more menacing.

     While Viktor was staring at the irritating man in front of him, Tanis ran out of the car as well to see what was going on. But when he saw who was facing his leader, his eyes immediately opened up in shock and disbelief, and like someone flipped a switch, he drew his gun out, pointing it at the tall figure with no hesitation.

      "Wow, it's been a while since we've seen each other and the first thing you do is point a gun at me?" the man asks.

     "You better be grateful that it's only a gun and not a bullet," Viktor says as he finally approaches the man in front of him. "I'm not in a very good mood, but I'm giving you a chance. I told you to never show your face to me again, didn't I? Then why the fuck are you standing in front of me now...Jontell Rosario."

     Jontell Rosario, an heir who has made a name for himself in his own right. But besides the fact that he's Crème de la Crème's Rank 4, he is also the man who made a huge fuss during the Elites Convention in J.S High by taking Ervin Walker's brother as a hostage and almost throwing him off the rooftop.

     Jontell has a history with Viktor and the rest of the previous top 5. He had this strong desire to join their group, but Grey and the others never gave him the satisfaction.

     Another thing worth noting is he has a strange obsession with Viktor in the past, but Viktor despises him, especially when it was revealed that Jontell somehow knew that something was off about the upcoming party that the Stepanov Clan was going to host, but never said anything about it until it was too late.

    This Rank 4 also has a connection with Max, but that's something that's already buried in the past, and now, he and Max have a somehow civil relationship.

     Jontell and Max aren't back to being strangers, but they're not entirely "friends" either. That's why when Max called Jontell and asked him for a favor, Jontell was surprised. He wasn't sure what his "ex" was planning, but he also couldn't decline it. He'd be a fool to say no to a Lemieux's request, after all.

     "Are you gonna stand there all day or am I going to just shoot you?" Viktor threatens when Jontell isn't saying anything to him.

     Viktor waited for a few more seconds, but after a moment of silence, he cursed and finally turned around. "Get him out of the way. Maybe run him over for all I care," Viktor says as he starts walking back to his car.

     Tanis didn't know what was going on either, but he put his gun down and looked at Jontell for one last time before following his leader. 

      Viktor and Tanis got ready to take their leave, but as anyone would expect, Jontell finally said something that instantly piqued Viktor's interest. "I have information regarding Lucas Ivory's death," Jontell revealed, surprising not only Viktor but Tanis as well. "I've actually just returned the other day. I was in Italy for quite some time, but I heard things from my family while I was away. Things that might interest you, Stepanov," Jontell continues.

     Viktor takes a deep breath and looks at Tanis. The king didn't even have to say anything for Tanis to automatically open the car door and gesture at Jontell to head inside. Jontell smiles victoriously and makes his way to the car. Viktor heads inside as well, and then Tanis and the driver wait outside, guarding the two while they talk.

     "You better not be bullshitting me right now, Rosario. I'm not in a good mood," Viktor starts, pulling a familiar cigarette brand and a golden lighter from a compartment. He then lights the cigarette up, not even opening the window for the red smoke to escape.

     "I'm giving you five minutes," Viktor states as he puts the stick inside his mouth and starts smoking.

     Jontell takes a deep breath and turns to look at Viktor who was sitting just a meter away from him. It's almost been two months since he last saw him, but Viktor still looked intimidating like the first time Jontell met him. He unconsciously stares at Viktor's face, his gaze slowly going lower. But just as he was about to look at the king's crotch area, Viktor exhaled the red smoke directly on his face, making the man cough at the strong smell.

     "I wasn't inviting you to devour me with your eyes. The mere fact that you're sitting so close is already making me feel sick so don't test me," Viktor warns.

     "You give yourself too much credit," Jontell replies, clearing his throat and looking away.

     "And here I thought you've already had your fill with that Sinclaire. I guess he wasn't able to satisfy you," Viktor says instead, and Jontell's expression instantly changes.

     "Don't talk to him that way. I never touched him, not once, even when I wanted to," Jontell revealed.

      "Wow, what a good boy you are," Viktor sarcastically replies, chuckling at the statement before inhaling the smoke from his cigarette again. "But if what you say is true, you just escaped a painful death. A certain...devil...would have been very angry if he found out you laid your hand on his prized possession."

     "You mean Alexeev," Jontell guesses, and in an instant, just by mentioning his name, he remembered his encounter with Gavriil, the memory of that night leaving a cold shiver down his spine.

     "Anyway, let's go back to our original matter at hand. What do you know about Lucas's death?" Viktor asks, and Jontell takes another deep breath and adjusts himself before finally getting to the point.

     "We're a Cosa Nostra, so our connections with the police force are quite strong. When I was in Sicily, I heard about the news regarding St. George Academy, as well as the death of Father Lucas Ivory. The reason for his death was never disclosed, but I heard he was shot," Jontell explains.

      "Is this the information you're boasting about because I already know that story," Viktor impatiently says.

     "Then I guess you already know who did it," Jontell teases, making Viktor finish his cigarette and aggressively dump it on an ashtray. He didn't even have to say anything for Jontell to continue.

     "This isn't completely confirmed so take it with a grain of salt. But according to one of our sources, the person who shot him was a new police recruit that was referred to by a man named Vasco."

     "Vasco?"

     "Well, when they were looking back at the files, none of the people at the station had any idea who this Vasco was, so basically they didn't know how this rookie even got in. But after more digging, they found another name...it was El Santo," Jontell reveals, and in an instant, Viktor's expression slightly changes.

     Viktor knew who El Santo was.

     Heck, the whole world knows who El Santo was.

     "Rosario, you know that lying to me is—"

     "I know enough not to lie to a Stepanov," Jontell seriously says, looking straight into Viktor's eyes and suddenly remembering what happened when he and Viktor last spoke.

     "You say you are not directly involved, but we know damn well that your family did something that added fuel to the fire. They know something about that incident yet they remain silent because they're a bunch of cowards. Reveal myself and declare your family's innocence? Don't make me laugh. Return my family to me then. If you can do that, then I will do what you asked. But if you can't...then get the fuck out of my house and never show yourself to me again!" Viktor angrily told him during the convention in J.S High, his words continuously echoing in his ear after that day.

     "I wasn't supposed to share this with anyone, but something happened, and I...I was given an opportunity to do what was right, even if it is a bit too late. So believe me on this. I may not be a hundred percent sure, but I'm certain that El Santo may be involved," Jontell explains, and finally, Viktor chuckles, confusing Jontell since this wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

     "To do what's right? How pretentious," Viktor mockingly comments. But before Jontell could even clarify it, Viktor continues, "But El Santo, huh? You mean Vasco Carrillo Fuentes, right? That's the El Santo you're referring to."

     "That's right. Vasco Carrillo Fuentes, better known for his alias, El Santo...the leader of the most dangerous cartel in the world," Jontell explains further, and Viktor couldn't help but get another cigarette stick, this newfound information stressing him out more than it should.

     This was a name that he did not expect to hear. It was a name that never even crossed his mind. The cartels have never been interested in them before, but now, knowing that an organization that specializes in drugs, human trafficking, and public assassinations is involved, this changes everything. This was a clue that Viktor desperately wanted to find.

     "Jontell Rosario, if you are ever lying to me about this, don't even dare come back to this country," Viktor warns, making Jontell nod his head in understanding, not even saying anything back.

     "Alright, now scram. You have no use to me anymore," Viktor coldly says soon after.

     Jontell opens his mouth to say something else, but he bows his head to the king and eventually steps out of the car instead. 

     Tanis instantly rushes to his leader to check if anything happened. When it was safe to say that the only bothering thing in sight was the lingering smell of tobacco and the faint red smoke from his cigarette, Tanis couldn't help but sigh in relief.

     Don't get him wrong. He wasn't worried about Viktor. He was more worried about what Viktor would do to Jontell.

      "Tanis, we're heading to the warehouse," Viktor says as Jontell starts walking back to his car, acting as if nothing had happened.

     "W-Wait, what happened? Are we not going to the House of Bishops anymore?" Tanis asks, but instead of answering him, Viktor lets the cigarette smoke escape his mouth, his eyes still following Jontell as he walks away from them.

     "And who could be the fucker who sent you to me anyway?" Viktor wonders.

     Tanis was about to ask another question, but Viktor looks back at him again and commands, "You heard what I said. We're heading back to the warehouse. Call for Gavriil too...there's something he might be interested in hearing."

     [Back at the Sinclaire Mansion]

     "Tanis just called," Joon reports, making Max—who was quietly drinking his tea while they were in the study room—look at Joon like he was curious, but at the same time, he somehow already knows what it would be about.

     "They're no longer heading to St. George," Joon finally reveals, making Max smile in relief.

     "Well, that's good for you, isn't it?" Max casually replied, taking a sip of his tea again while Joon continued to stare at him, no longer saying anything. When it got a bit awkward, Max put his cup down and said, "You know, a simple thank you would be nice."

     "Who did you call?" Joon asks instead.

      Max decided not to answer as he got up from his seat. While Joon follows him with his eyes, Max grabs something from the bookshelf and places it on top of the table, just in front of the prince.

     "That's—"

     "Yup, my current favorite book, J.S High's Student Handbook," Max says with a bright smile, making Joon look at Max like he finally lost it.

     "I mentioned earlier that I'm going to teach you something so here it is. I know you're ranked 7 and all, but a lot of things changed since the last time you were in a white uniform. You must have memorized the rules of the brotherhoods, but this one is going to be a bit different."

     "You expect me to memorize this?" Joon asks while staring at the handbook with a weird look on his face.

     Max grabs a pen and his trusty notebook before taking a seat beside the ice prince. "Now that we're temporarily safe from the clutches of that mad king, let's go back to our real agenda. We need to look for the person who helped Payton Wolfe and prove that you weren't supposed to fail during the Annual Reranking. But during all that, you're going to be a full-fledged White Uniform, and there are a few things you have to know before we proceed."

     "So you do want me to memorize this," Joon assumes.

     "No, not just memorize. For me, the student handbook is like a bible. I want you to engrave all the rules within your heart like your life depends on it. I want you to understand the rules that President Grey Cullen created and Vice President Leviathan Dubois perfected. I want you to read them all, and I want you to realize why Grey loved this school so much to the point where he died for it," Max demands.

     Joon looks back at the handbook again. For a long time, he saw it as nothing but mere rules to follow so you wouldn't get in trouble, but the way Max described it made him swallow the lump in his throat, almost like he felt ashamed. He also keeps realizing how Viktor and Max are similar to each other. As much as Max doesn't like the idea of it, Viktor treats the handbook exactly like how Max described it.

      "Why are you—"

     "Listen to me, Kim Hee-joon. I'm going to force you to see from our point of view. I'm going to put you in Grey's shoes, and I'm going to make you realize why Class I-A was willing to sacrifice everything for him..." Max explained, looking straight into Joon's eyes, making the prince hold his breath as he listened to every word that the young heir was saying. 

     "I'm going to change how you see things, and maybe then you'd realize...that Viktor never once kept the key to the cage that you think is trapping you."

- END -

I hope everyone is doing great! See you in the next update!

- N -