Andromeda spat crimson to the side, his boots grinding against the cafeteria floor as he stepped forward, ignoring the way Khael's arm subtly barred his path. "I'm not done with you, Lomwel."

The air in the room had gone heavy like the whole academy cafeteria was holding its breath, waiting for the first strike to ignite everything. Chairs stood half-toppled, trays slid off tables in slow motion, and Harmonae's low hum still reverberated in the air like a taut string ready to snap.

From the far end of the room, a clear, commanding voice cut through the tension.

"What's going on here?"

Heads turned. Rael Eluron strode in, platinum hair catching the Umbraen light pouring through the tall windows. His steps were steady, deliberate, the kind that made the surrounding crowd instinctively part to give him room.

Kaen's eyes widened. "Rael."

Rael glanced his way cold, unreadable before his gaze shifted past Kaen without a word, settling instead on the two at the center of the storm.

Lomwel jerked a thumb at Andromeda, his voice dripping with arrogance. "This bastard attacked me."

Rael's eyes narrowed on Andromeda.

Andromeda's reply was low, hard. "You abandoned an Echo Beast… and it's a dog."

Lomwel smirked like it was the most trivial accusation in the world. "Yeah. A fucking dog. She's useless… and I'm the owner. I should do whatever I want."

Ceyla's breath hitched then her face twisted with pure fury. She stepped forward so fast the dog in her arms shifted uncomfortably, sparks of storm affinity flaring off her skin. "So you're the one who abandoned this dog."

Without hesitation, she lunged at Lomwel.

But her wrist was caught mid-motion not by Khael, not by Kaen by Rael.

The Lunar Sage Candidate's grip was firm, controlled. "Don't." His voice was low, but it carried the weight of command.

Ceyla struggled against his hold for a heartbeat before glaring at him. "Let go, Rael!"

Rael's gaze didn't waver from Lomwel. "Not here."

From the table behind them, Shigeo still hadn't moved, elbow propped on the table, chin resting in his palm, his expression unreadable. His eyes flicked between the two sides like he was watching a predictable play. "What a complicated world."

Khael pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose, letting out a long, weary sigh. (This is going to explode… no matter what I say.)

Kaen stepped forward, fists pumping together with a sharp crack of knuckles. "Stop it, Rael… that bastard deserves a beating." His voice rose, carrying over the low murmurs of the gathered crowd. "He abandoned a precious comrade, the one who's been with him since day one… He threw that away—what? Because he thinks she's useless?"

The cafeteria shifted around them; students pressed in closer, trays clutched in hand, eyes flicking between Kaen's burning expression and Lomwel's cold arrogance.

Lomwel's lip curled into a sneer, his voice sharp and dripping with contempt. "Bastard, what do you know?! That dog is just useless trash!"

Khael's eyes slid toward the dog in Ceyla's arms. The little Echo Beast's tail was wagging—hesitant at first, then quicker, its gaze fixed entirely on Lomwel.

Khael's voice was calmer now, but it cut through the tension like glass. "That dog… from the looks of it—" he glanced from the wagging tail back to Matthew, "—she loves you the most."

Lomwel clicked his tongue, looking away. "Tsk. As if a beast knows emotion."

Khael didn't blink. "They do have emotion… look at her tail."

A hush spread through the crowd. Even those who'd been ready to cheer on a fight shifted uncomfortably, glancing at the dog's small, eager movements like she didn't know she'd been abandoned at all.

Matthew's jaw tightened for a fraction of a second—barely noticeable, but enough for Khael to catch it. The corner of his mouth twitched, as if the dog's eager wagging had struck somewhere he didn't want touched.

Then, like a mask snapping back into place, he straightened his shoulders and smirked. "Hah… pathetic. You think a little tail wag means anything? She's just reacting out of habit. A mutt's instinct, nothing more."

His voice was louder now, meant for the crowd, trying to drown out whatever flicker of guilt had threatened to surface.

Rael's eyes narrowed—not in anger, but calculation. He stood between the two, gaze moving from Lomwel's false grin to the dog's trembling form. He didn't miss the way Lomwel avoided looking directly at her.

The air in the cafeteria felt heavier, each breath slower, as if everyone was waiting to see if Rael would allow this to keep spiraling.

Khael's thoughts pressed like a warning in his skull. (He's rattled… but the more cornered he feels, the more dangerous he'll get.)

Ceyla still held the dog close, her glare sharp enough to cut. Kaen stood just behind her, one foot shifting forward, itching to close the gap between them and Lomwel.

Rael finally spoke, his voice cold and measured. "Enough. Both of you." But his eyes… his eyes stayed fixed on Lomwel, studying him like a duelist reading the next strike before it came.

Andromeda stood a few paces back, his knuckles still raw, Junjun pressed close at his side. His gaze dropped to the dog in Ceyla's arms—her tail still swishing faintly every time Lomwel shifted in her direction.

"…Tsk…" His jaw clenched, the sound slipping out like a breath he didn't want to admit. Leaning forward slightly, he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for those closest to catch, "Despite everything… you still love him."

The words weren't sharp or mocking, just heavy—like they'd been pulled from somewhere deep in his chest. Junjun gave a quiet whine, as if agreeing.

For a fleeting second, Lomwel's arrogant façade faltered again, his eyes flicking to the dog before he masked it with another sneer. Rael's gaze sharpened at the micro-expression, storing it away like a piece of evidence.

Khael's thoughts churned. (That hit him… he didn't expect to hear it out loud.)

The cafeteria stayed hushed, every chair angled toward the standoff. The weight of unspoken history pressed in on them all between a master and a beast, between pride and guilt, and between the choice to walk away or let it all explode.

To be continue