Instead of the tension reducing as Mourne entered, it somehow increased from Zhara.
Severin saw the way her lips tightened and the way she subtly moved to the side. It was subtle, but Severin caught it.
Mourne came closer and bowed to his Clan Leader. He tried to hide his emotions too, but his face was white and his eyes were filled with anger. "All the information is correct."
Zhara stiffened. "Oh? It's all correct? Thank you, Severin Reignhart. The transaction is now deemed successful. If you will excuse me, I have something to deal with."
She stood, but Severin wasn't about to let her go. "Gang Leader Zhara, there is something you must do for me."
☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆
"What was that all about, Severin? You said they could go ahead and kill me! And then you tried to kill us both, like, three times. Just what are you doing?" Derrick growled.
They were still walking in the black market, the darkness only broken by the crystal lights set into the different walls around the corridor shelter building.
"Ah, kill you, Derrick? You are my one and only trusted subordinate. Why would I try to kill you?" Severin turned back to smile at him.
Derrick shivered because in the near dark, Severin's smile felt like a wolf showing its fangs.
Just what had he involved himself in? In just one day, the image of the weakling, crawling Severin had been shattered and destroyed, replaced by something else entirely.
Severin enjoyed the walk. He didn't hurry, and he even went around the black market pointing out different things to Derrick. It might seem as if he was showing off, but what Severin was doing was updating his memory of what he remembered in the book.
Looking at the different goods displayed, he was able to tie an event to each.
After that, he left the market behind and returned to his dorm to sleep.
The next day, he went to class as if nothing had happened. The only different thing was that Derrick followed him around for the majority of the day.
"What are we doing here again?" Derrick asked.
They were in front of the Administration Building. The building was made of sleek grey material and it was one of the biggest. The Administration Building is where the backbone of the academy's operations is carried out.
"I am going to register for House creation," Severin said as he began to walk towards a wing of the Administration Building.
Derrick stumbled when he heard what Severin said. He swallowed. "Tell me you're joking around."
Severin didn't reply, and Derrick began to laugh. "Maybe you were able to pull off different things yesterday, but there are two things you can't pull off: defeating Ethan Aldrich and doing the impossible—creating a House."
Severin slowed. "If you know I can't defeat Ethan Aldrich, why do you still follow me?"
Derrick shrugged. "Just to feel strong. It's my first time feeling this strong in my life, and I want to feel it till you die. Severin, you are weak and no matter how you look at it, you can't defeat him, even if you were able to use your power on yourself.
"He's strong and you have to respect that. Didn't you learn anything from that information you acquired? He's going to tear you apart. It's like an ant trying to lift an elephant."
Severin smiled and said in a joking manner, "And if I defeat him?"
Derrick snorted. "And if you're still alive in four days? Power is power, Severin. And you lack it in any form."
"Power takes many shapes, Derrick," Severin said genuinely.
Derrick shook his head in pity and sneered. "It's like you're trying to spend the rest of your numbered days reaching for an impossible sky."
Severin continued to walk. The Houses. They are one of the reasons why the Zenith Hero Academy is considered different and unique.
The Houses are elite factions within the academy, a semi-autonomous organization led by a student or group of students and created by students.
Houses hold territory, resources, and influence.
And not only in the academy. They get sponsorship from the outside and once they graduate, they have the House as a stepping stone to boost them in whichever way they choose in life. In short, a formal member of a House is set for life.
And to become a member, one must be strong or have something that makes them unique—like a very rare Talent Ability or the wealth from their family.
But while in the academy, there is one important role that the House provides: Credits.
Credit is the currency of the academy, and the amount a person has can be a reflection of their strength. The Houses have a monopoly on all the resources and methods that one can use to earn credits.
Since the academy began, there have been twelve Houses, and they've sunk their talons into the fabric of the academy. That was exactly what Severin was going for. He wanted a share of the fabric.
If he wanted to grow and survive, if he wanted to avert the terrible things that the author used the cannon fodder of the academy to suffer, then he needed the authority that being a leader of a House would give.
The author didn't hold back in creating tragic occurrences in the background, and he used the weak to take the brunt.
The side of the Administration Building that Severin and Derrick walked into had less traffic than the other, and the lady they met at a desk had a bored look on her face as she cracked nuts and ate loudly.
A blue projection with different words and symbols flickered on the table in front of her.
Severin walked closer to her and simply focused his eyes on her. His cold blue eyes fell like a weight and she sat up. She looked up and stared at Severin with a frown, trying to place him so she could know the amount of buttering up that would be needed.
"What is your name and what are you here to register for?"