The stadium fell into an uneasy silence as Alex's cold voice resonated through the air. His command for silence had been enough to still the crowd, but it was his demeanor that truly disturbed them. His expression was icy and unfeeling—something the academy had seen only once.
But as Alex noticed it, his expression softened, his smile turning warm, yet something in that smile felt hollow, calculated—something no one could perceive, especially the council members since they couldn't even see his face right now.
The students who were shuffling uncomfortably in their seats when they saw his cold expression had their tension lowered when they saw his warm smile, thinking that the cold expression from before was just an illusion their mind played.
Looking at the students, now comfortably waiting for him to speak, Alex began.
"What was done here today," Alex spoke, his voice now gentle, almost soothing, "was for the good of the academy and its values. Justice demanded that we act, and so we have." He gestured toward the exit where Zyrrak had been escorted moments before. "Zyrrak's crimes were inexcusable, and for far too long, we—the student council—allowed his actions to go unchecked. That failure rests squarely on our shoulders."
Some students murmured in agreement, while some shook their heads as the council couldn't have predicted all this, but their anger temporarily softened by Alex's words.
Alex, however, sighed deeply, running a hand through his white hair, his expression tinged with regret. "And for that, I am partly to blame. I, too, should bear responsibility for letting it come to this."
Gasps rippled through the crowd when they heard his words.
Why would Alex take the blame for something he didn't even do and wasn't even aware of? Didn't he and the council take action the moment they realized what was going on? No one was blaming them anymore!
There was no need for him to take the blame for a monster's actions!
Some students began shaking their heads, others muttering reassurances. Cries of "You did all you could!", "Don't be too hard on yourself!", and "Don't blame yourself!" echoed through the stadium. Yet all Alex did was smile painfully, shaking his head with a sigh.
"No," Alex continued, his voice wistful. "I will be compensating the victims of our fellow—former fellow council member..." He lowered his head as he said that, a cold light flashing past his eyes, which no one could see as he added, "But before that..."
His gaze shifted to the crowd, guilt filling his eyes as he looked at them, secretly scanning the crowd, focusing briefly on a group of third- and fourth-year teachers who had begun to edge toward the exits a second ago but had stopped now as they sensed something amiss.
To everyone, his actions might look normal, but to those with keen eyes and those who knew him, his actions seemed planned, especially the council members.
'What are you planning right now?' Theron thought as he stared at Alex's back, but it was not just him; every council member was thinking the same. Alex hadn't told them anything about this plan, after all.
"Will the girls who were wronged by Zyrrak please come to the stage?" Alex continued, his voice carrying an odd mix of authority and gentleness.
The crowd shifted, no one coming out for a while before a small group of girls hesitantly made their way to the stage. Their expressions were a mix of apprehension and relief. Although justice had been served to them, many didn't want to show their faces, but hearing that Alex was going to compensate them, they still came.
They stood in a line before Alex, who waited patiently for them to gather, and once they were all in place, Alex stepped toward one of them—a petite girl with wide, watery eyes.
His smile remained, but there was no warmth in it anymore. It felt unsettling, but the girl couldn't perceive it yet. He leaned slightly toward her, his voice soft but unyielding.
"Tell me," Alex said, his gaze locked on the girl. "Do you believe that Zyrrak was brought to justice?"
The girl blinked before her lips parted, and she replied to his simple question, "Yes."
She couldn't understand why he was asking that question; no one could. But before anyone could think about it, Alex's next question was heard: "And do you think you guys were brought to justice?"
The girl, frozen in her spot, finally shivered in fear. Her senses finally took in the hollow, almost predatory look in Alex's eyes. But it was not just her; the whole stadium froze, their confusion palpable.
Alex didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he straightened and turned to address the audience.
"Zyrrak's punishment was necessary, but justice isn't one-sided," Alex said, his voice carrying an edge now. "For every crime, there are those who enable it. Those who benefit from it."
The audience finally started to realize where Alex was getting and what his previous question meant as they shifted uncomfortably, murmurs spreading.
Alex's gaze returned to the girls on stage. "Let me ask you something," he said, his tone sharper now. "Zyrrak gave you... compensation, didn't he? He passed you in classes where you should have failed. Isn't that right?"
The girls froze, their faces pale. The audience grew more tense, whispers escalating into shocked gasps.
"If that's the case," Alex continued, his voice unwavering, "Then justice demands that those grades be revoked and you all be kicked out of the academy as you should be. Secretary," he called out, his tone commanding, "Take down their names and classes. These students will be removed from the academy."
He wasn't calling for any secretary in particular—he didn't have a secretary like other pillars, after all. The secretaries are the record keepers, so any free secretary could come forward, but no one moved, still too shocked.
The crowd was the same, but they erupted in disbelief. Was it really happening? Was Alex really going to do it? They couldn't believe it. No one could. Even the council members, who were wondering what he wanted to do, were now looking at him in shock.
'What's he doing?!' They couldn't understand, but Lilia and Zahara, as if noticing something, widened their eyes. 'He couldn't be...?!'
They had a guess, but they weren't sure. They couldn't be sure, because Alex was just that unpredictable.
However, there were these questions passing through everyone's head: Was Alex not doing the right thing? Isn't this what should be done? The girls are in the wrong here... right?
No one could say that Alex was doing something wrong because technically, he wasn't wrong.
But just as things started to settle in and the severity of the situation was absorbed into the girls' heads as they saw one secretory nervously making her way toward Alex with a notepad, one of the girls—with black hair and green eyes along with a curvy body—finally couldn't take it, dropping to her knees with tears streaming down her face.
"Please, no!" She cried. "You can't do this! My family is depending on me!" With a desperate look in her eyes, she begged Alex, "Please don't kick me out of the academy!"
"...Is that really the truth?" Alex, with a surprised look on his face, turned to the girl. "Is your family really depending on you?" He questioned with pity in his eyes, and the girl, with reignited hope, hurriedly nodded her head, crawling toward Alex. "Yes! Yes!" She spoke repeatedly.
"Ah..." But Alex just sighed with a look of regret. He leaned forward, his eyes turning hollow as he spoke, "It's really regretful, but... I really can't do anything..."
His face was right in front of the girl, who trembled in terror as she found herself locked under those unfeeling eyes. "There's nothing free in this world, after all," he added coolly.
Hearing his reapy, desperation consumed the girl, her teeth clattering as she racked her mind for a solution until her eyes brightened. She hurriedly clutched at his sleeve, her sobs echoing through the silent stadium as she yelled, "I'll do anything! Anything! Just don't kick me!"
The moment the words left her lips...
"Aha..." Alex's smile twisted into a grin. 'Bingo,' he muttered inwardly.