"Dorian...? How did he end up being there?"

Matilda sucked in a cold breath, also taken aback to realize that this was Dorian’s execution.

She never expected that, out of all people, Dorian would try to do this.

But then again, it made sense.

During the Culling of Nonentity ceremony, Dorian was the one who was the most distraught. He has the second-highest kill count in that room after Kai. And though he appeared to really be handling the ceremony better than the rest during the process, in truth, he wasn’t.

He had finished the quickest because he wanted to quickly get out of that room.

Matilda was also distraught at that moment, but she noticed something.

Noticed that Dorian was really disturbed by High Angel Hensen’s laughter.

At the moment, he tried to hold back, but Matilda saw the way he looked at the High Angel.

She saw the murderous intent in his gaze.

"This must’ve been a mistake..." Kai took a step forward.

He didn’t yet know what he would do, but the urge to help was already stirring inside him. Dorian could be reckless, yes—impulsive to a fault—but he was never stupid. Kai refused to accept that Dorian would commit a crime like this, fully aware that execution awaited him if caught.

It has to be a mistake.

"Don’t," Matilda placed an arm before him. "You can’t do anything to help him."

"Ten o’clock last night at the Aerial Stables..." Kai’s fists clenched until his knuckles whitened. "If I had not insisted on mining, we might have been there. We might have crossed paths with them—with Dorian. We could’ve seen what truly happened. And even if the worst were true, we could have stopped him."

"Dorian is hurt the most by the ceremony," Matilda sighed. "You know this. It’s plausible for him to do this. And since he has made his choice, he knew what he was getting into."

Kai slapped her arm away.

He glared at her and pointed at High Angel Hensen.

Even with the mask on, they could practically hear him chuckling at the situation.

"Do you really think that bastard is a victim? Him? Look at him," Kai said incredulously. No victim who had almost died from an attack from behind would stand proudly in front of the crowd like this. "Dorian must’ve been set up!"

"And yet there’s nothing we can do," Matilda crossed her arms. "Not unless you wanted to be executed alongside him."

Matilda was right.

As much as he wanted to help Dorian right now, there’s simply nothing he could do.

He was a Lesser Angel.

And the fact that he stood against a High Angel meant the odds were already stacked against him. Charging in to protest now would be no different from laying his own neck across the chopping block and waiting for the academy’s blade to fall.

"Is there anyone who has a say in this matter?" Professor Bork swept his gaze.

Nobody stepped forward.

Kai gritted his teeth and turned, not wanting to see his only friend being executed.

Compared to the others, Dorian has no interior motives against him.

He was simply someone who wanted to survive the Blood Rite and came out as a friend.

For that, there’s no way Kai was going to stand there and watch.

"Kai, wait!" Matilda called. "Look!"

Kai stopped mid-track and turned toward the crowd. He saw someone running frantically toward the plaza. And from her blue hair and blue eyes, it was hard for Kai not to recognize her instantly.

It was Abigail.

"I have something to say!" Abigail raised her hand and shouted. "I have something to say!"

Dorian, who had been keeping his head down all this time, raised it for the first time. His eyes bore into Abigail with utter confusion. Last night, there was only him and High Angel Hensen, so he had already accepted his fate.

Other than a time machine, nothing could help him right now.

But it seemed Abigail had something else.

"I was there last night," She took out her phone and raised it up. "I have proof."

Moments later.

Fortunately, with the proof provided by Abigail, a video of what happened, Dorian was no longer in any danger of being executed. Professor Bork inspected the proof and then announced that the situation would be discussed privately.

Many students were disappointed, eager to know the Black Draught execution method.

Only a handful were relieved.

Kai was standing in front of the dormitory with Matilda and Bree, who also heard about what had happened. The three of them waited for Dorian and Abigail to return, and they only came back about two hours later.

Even though Dorian was freed from the punishment, he didn’t look happy. Both his eyes are vacant, and his shoulders are rolled forward slightly. He looked like someone who had returned from a defeat.

And Abigail was also the same.

Something went wrong.

Kai wanted to say something, but Dorian had already walked past and entered the dormitory.

He decided not to pursue.

It must already be tiring today for Dorian, so there’s no need for him to make it worse.

But he wanted answers.

"What happened?" Kai looked at Abigail. "And what exactly happened last night?"

Abigail sighed and told them about what truly transpired.

Just as Matilda expected, after the Culling of Nonentity ceremony, Dorian harboured killing intent at Hensen. He did plan to kill Hensen last night at the Aerial Stables when nobody was looking, exactly as Professor Bork announced earlier, but he didn’t follow through.

Unlike the version of events from the professor, Dorian changed his mind at the last second.

He realized that it wasn’t worth it.

Unfortunately for him, Hensen had known that he had been following. And was waiting for the attack to come. Realizing that Dorian had changed his mind, Hensen turned and attacked him instead.

Provoking him.

And when Dorian fought back, he purposefully let Dorian land a few hits.

Hensen used those wounds as proof and reported the incident to a grey-masked Angel.

Just like that, things escalated.

"I knew what he was planning to do—and I persuaded him to forget about it," Abigail said in a whisper, intimidated by Kai’s sharp gaze. "Dorian finally surrendered and said he won’t do it, but I don’t trust him. I followed him and saw everything that happened.

"I recorded what happened in case of this. And earlier, High Angel Hensen was going to be punished for this slander, but the punishment would be a private one."

Kai leaned away.

Professor Hera did say that she ought to help the others get through the trauma, but Kai didn’t expect her to really listen. Had it not been for her, there would be no witness and proof—and Dorian would’ve been executed earlier.

"See what I mean?" Bree intervened, putting both hands on her waist, staring daggers into the side of Kai’s face. "Being separated like this is a stupid idea. We would only be killed—one by one. We need a group."

She pivoted and stabbed a finger into Kai’s chest, "You need to make a group."

"Back to this again?" Kai scratched the back of his head.

"Wait, you’re making a group?" Matilda raised a brow. "That’s a great idea. Count me in."

Abigail slipped away as they talked. Only Matilda noticed her leaving.

"What does this have to do with me making a group? Dorian could enter an existing group if he wanted to be a part of something," Kai argued, still not ready to lead. "I do not see how it needs to be my group."

"Do you really think Dorian hadn’t tried to get into a group?" Bree shook her head. "He tried— but no group would take him in. Even now, with the loss of students from the Blood Rite, he still won’t be able to get into one with his defects."

"It’ll help you with your weekly quota situation, too," Matilda added.

Kai was still hesitant.

He feels incapable of becoming a leader, and it showed on his face.

"I asked around, and I heard what you pulled off during the Blood Rite. Taking over one team and bringing them to victory. You could lead them then, so what happened now?" Bree’s gaze shifted past Kai’s shoulder, locking onto someone approaching. "Besides, I need help. I can’t quite shake this goody-two-shoes."

"Bree," A voice called from behind.

Kai turned around and saw an Angel standing right behind.

It was the same guy as the one who talked with Matilda earlier during sparring.

He was clean-cut and rigidly proper, and his green hair was greased back with clinical precision.

"Alex!" Bree put on a big smile and walked over. "Are you looking for me?"

"The leader called us all in to drill formations—for the new cultivated clouds," Alex pointed over his shoulder with his thumb and explained. "He told us yesterday about this. And he wanted everyone to come after class. You’re the last one missing, so I got sent to fetch you."

"I’m sorry, I’m sorry," Bree smacked her forehead. "I forgot about that. Let’s go."

Instead of turning around, Alex’s eyes locked onto Kai.

"Is this filth the one who kept taking up your time?" He asked without looking at Bree.

"No, no, I’m the one who forgot." Bree stepped between them, waving her hands and shaking her head at Alex as if to ward off any argument. "He’s just asking for help from me. It’s nothing, really."

But Alex understood it differently.

’Bree is too king to say no to this trash,’ The thought curled through his mind as he stepped past Bree, planting himself directly in front of Kai. "I’m only going to say this once," He said, leaning close. "Stay away from Bree. I know exactly what you’re doing, so don’t even entertain the thought." His lips curled. "Do you think you are on her level? No."

He jabbed a finger against Kai’s temple, "You’re just a Lesser Angel. Remember that."

After letting out a condescending snort, he shoved Kai’s head aside.

"Alright, I don’t need your help," Bree pulled Alex away. "Let’s go; the leader is waiting."

She waved her hand goodbye at Kai and Matilda before walking away with Alex.

On the side, Matilda crossed her arms and stared at Kai curiously, "Not going to fight for your girl? Thought this is the time for dick measuring. You know... Your sister did tell you to have a lot of babies."

"I don’t have that kind of relationship with her," Kai turned, intending to check whether the beds and things that Talitha had asked for from the academy had been delivered yet. "Besides, can’t you feel the aura coming from him? I’m afraid I’ll break him if I so much as push him."

Matilda snickered.

Considering that Kai could beat her and the overcharged Lion, he wasn’t exaggerating.

Normal Angels wouldn’t be able to clash against him blow for blow.

Chances were, Alex wouldn’t last a moment under the weight of Kai’s aura, let alone hold his ground.

...

Author note: This is a bonus Chapter for reaching 100 power stones last week!