Chapter 57: Pattern

Even after Ava left, the cafeteria did not return to normal.

It only got louder in a different way as people whispered things like "SS-rank" "Drew", "why him".

A few students at the next row openly stared until Lila’s gaze pinned them and forced their attention back to their trays.

Ethan picked up his fork, then set it down again. He had completely lost appetite...

"We’re leaving," Lila said.

"Took the words right out of my mouth."

He followed her out through the doors and away from the whispers.

The corridor outside was cooler and quieter by comparison, but it was not empty. A pair of second-years tracked them with their eyes and muttered something that included both "Shaw" and "Drew" in the same breath.

Lila walked a few more steps, then stopped so suddenly that Ethan almost walked into her.

"No," she said.

Ethan blinked. "No what?"

"No, you’re not going to shrug this off like it’s just another day." She turned toward him, her eyes staring directly at him. "That was not just a random senior being friendly. She walked through a full cafeteria, and moved straight to you to talk about the dungeon."

"She heard the rumors. Everyone has."

"Everyone has not been smiling like they found a new toy." Lila’s voice stayed low, but it was sharp, sharp enough that Ethan could tell how serious she was. "First Nora suddenly takes an interest in you, then starts acting completely weird every time she looks at you. Now an SS-rank third year plants herself in your face and says she’ll find you later. You’re collecting attention like it’s EXP."

Ethan exhaled. "Ava is merely a visibility risk. Upper-year interest will increase monitoring. No doubt about that. But I didn’t encourage it, nor did I didn’t give her details. There’s nothing to do with that scene except to keep it as a problem to solve later."

Lila stared at him for a second, then let out a tired breath.

"That’s the problem. You keep answering the wrong part."

"Well then enlighten me."

"I’m not worried about all that, Ethan. I’m scared of the pattern. You almost died in that chamber, I fought a Devil’s while literally watching you bleed. I sat in the dorm listening to you breathe, scared that each breath might be your last. And every time we get one day of quiet, someone else walks in and decides you’re interesting." She looked away down the corridor as her jaw tightened. "I can handle monsters. I can’t handle every person in this academy who suddenly wants a piece of you."

The words landed heavy and Ethan stayed quiet for a moment. In his old life, attention had been something he failed to get. Here it arrived so frequently, that it was almost like breathing at this point.

Treating it like just another hiccup in his plans had kept him functional. It was the only way he knew how to handle it.

"...You’re right," he said at last.

Lila’s eyes snapped towards him. She was expecting him to argue...

"I keep converting everything into a risk that needs management because that’s the only way I know how to handle things." he continued. "Ava is a risk. Nora’s shift is also a risk and is something I don’t fully understand yet. But you’re not asking me for a threat assessment are you? You’re saying you’re tired of being the one who watches me become public property while I act like it doesn’t bother you."

Lila’s shoulders loosened. "I don’t need you to chase her off with a speech," she said. "I need you to stop looking surprised when I care that people keep reaching for you."

Ethan stayed silent and for a while, he decided to look at things in her perspective...

He had passed out from overexertion twice, and in both occasions she had been the one watching him. Fear. Anxiety... that must have been what she felt each time.

She probably didn’t like the fact that people only saw him as something to be monitored and studied while they had no idea of how much he actually had to deal with behind closed doors.

"I’ll... keep that in mind." he said eventually.

She smiled. "Good enough."

They stood there for a moment, then the class chime sounded from deeper in the building. Lila glanced toward the sound, then back at him.

"We’re going to be late," she muttered.

"PE class," Ethan said, remembering the schedule from the day before.

She nodded. "Let’s get going then. And if blond lightning shows up, I’m burning her clothes off."

Ethan stared at her. "That’s assault. Not to mention she’ll wreck you before you get a clean shot in."

Lila’s eyes remained fixed on the path. "I’m not going down without a fight..."

***

By the time they reached the school gym off Building A, most of Class 1-A was already present.

The place was a broad PE hall with polished composite flooring, wall bars, stacked conditioning equipment, and lane lines that stretched long enough that it could be easily called an indoor field.

There were no podium, no projection of beast diagrams. Just an atmosphere that promised sweat, pain and suffering.

The door opened and the instructor finally came in.

The man had broad shoulders that strained the academy athletic shirt without trying, dark hair that was cut short and dark eyes that had a blank expression on it.

Ethan’s eyes went over his body once. He looked like someone who went to gym for a living. A whistle hung on his neck and he spoke after looking at the students with a dull expression.

"Name’s Coach Merrick," he said. His voice deep and husky. "You run, you move, you hold form under fatigue. If your evaluation ranking made you soft in the head, this hour will correct it."

A few students straightened automatically.

Merrick jerked his head towards the court. "Form up on the center line. We’re going to do a few warm-ups before we get down to business."

"No abilities. I see any tricks, you’re running extra laps until your ancestors get tired."

Lila muttered under her breath, "I hate hate this"

"You hate everything that isn’t monsters or food," Ethan said giving her a flat look.

"Facts."

Soon, the rest of the class formed a circle and positioned themselves for warm-ups.

Merrick raised the whistle.

"Final checks. Twenty jumping jacks."

He blew.