Chapter 256: 200th
As Asher sat alone in his room, his mind wandered deep into the labyrinth of thoughts concerning Cindralis’s scheme. His eyes remained fixed on the wall ahead, yet he wasn’t truly seeing anything before him. He was replaying everything in his mind, connecting subtle details like pieces of an invisible puzzle, and although his face remained expressionless and calm, his mind was a storm beneath quiet waters. A few minutes trickled by, each second stretching into a thin thread of silence, when suddenly, a firm knock echoed through the otherwise silent room. The sound reverberated softly across the walls and immediately pulled him out of his contemplative state.
Asher’s head shifted toward the door with calm precision. Without a hint of laziness or sluggishness, he rose to his feet with a composed elegance, his steps steady as he made his way to the door. His expression did not change, yet his senses remained alert. Normally, his Omni Perception would effortlessly reveal the identity of whoever stood beyond the doorway, but the Star Academy had gone to extensive lengths to ensure that no student could pry into the privacy of another. Layers of invisible barriers laced the corridors, woven carefully by high-level mages to block perception skills and intrusive sensory techniques. It was their way of preventing conflict and unnecessary hostility among students, for pride and status were things many here would kill to defend.
With a soft creak, the door opened, and standing there was a boy with a lean yet undeniably powerful physique, his presence carrying the quiet confidence of someone who had undergone strict conditioning. Beside him stood another boy, distinctly different in build, with a softer, chubbier physique, his round cheeks giving him a harmless appearance, yet his eyes held awareness. They were William and Finch.
Asher’s eyes, calm and sharp, landed on both of them the moment the door opened. A flicker of mild surprise flashed through his mind, though it never reached his face. He quietly wondered what they were doing here, especially Finch, who resided in a completely different building far from his own. That alone made their visit somewhat unexpected.
Without hesitation or unnecessary questioning, Asher stepped aside smoothly, allowing both of them to enter. He did not gesture dramatically or make a show of hospitality; he simply created space. Once they stepped in, he closed the door behind them with effortless grace.
"So, what are you both doing here?" he asked in a calm tone, neither cold nor overly curious. He wasn’t uncomfortable with their presence, nor was he annoyed. It was simply a genuine inquiry, spoken with the same composed demeanor he always carried.
"Nothing much. We just came to your room since we stay on the same floor level, and I’ve never been to your room, though you’ve been to mine," William replied casually as he stepped into the living space. He spoke with easy familiarity, his tone relaxed as if he belonged there without needing permission.
"As for Finch, he was already with me, so we just came together," William added, finishing his explanation before casually collapsing onto a couch with the comfort of someone who had no intention of pretending to be polite or overly formal.
"Good morning, Tenth Sun," Finch greeted respectfully, a calm smile on his face as he offered the formal title.
Asher gave a simple nod of acknowledgment, his eyes briefly scanning Finch. A fleeting thought surfaced as he recalled that Finch had not been present in his apartment building during the four-day apocalypse incident that had shaken the academy. He didn’t linger too long on the thought, but curiosity nudged at him slightly.
"What’s your class rank?" Asher asked without preamble.
The question froze Finch momentarily. His mind spun with rapid speculation. Was the Tenth Sun asking because he looked down on lower-ranked students? What if Asher suddenly found him unworthy of being in his presence? What if William also distanced himself just to align with Asher’s possible disdain for weaker individuals? A cascade of unsettling hypotheticals flooded his mind in an instant.
However, despite his brief internal panic, Finch did not allow his expression to crumble. For all his chubby appearance, he was still the heir of a Baron-ranked noble family, and nobles were trained from birth to maintain composure, to wear expressions with deliberate control, and to never allow their inner turmoil to show on their faces. He inhaled quietly and answered with firm honesty.
"I’m ranked 200th. At the very bottom, Tenth Sun," he said without hesitation or deceit. There was no need to lie. He knew someone like Asher could easily find out with a single inquiry if he wished.
Asher arched an eyebrow, mildly surprised, not in disappointment, but in unexpected curiosity. "So you weren’t among the original top two hundred admitted students and were only able to gain entry after thirty-four students were expelled and replaced?" he asked calmly.
"That is correct, Tenth Sun," Finch responded straightforwardly, without attempting to excuse or justify his standing.
Finch had long suspected that his strange and uncontrollable "Good Luck" ability had been the reason exactly thirty-four students were expelled, creating just enough space for him to slip into the academy’s top two hundred ranking. There was no need for him to guess, he knew. The moment the academy listed the expelled numbers, he had understood.
But he felt no guilt. This world was cruel, and kindness was a luxury one could not afford without strength to protect it. Besides, no one knew about his ability. As far as the world was concerned, he had simply been fortunate.
Yet, his greatest regret was not the expulsion of those students. It was his inability to control his Good Luck. If he could fully harness it, he could bend fortune itself to his will, manipulate outcomes, and twist fate without consequence. Why shouldn’t he, if given the power?
William remained silent. He didn’t attempt to defend Finch or offer comforting words. Although he had observed Asher enough over the past week to form a vague idea of his personality, he was far from arrogant enough to assume he fully understood him. True personalities were often hidden beneath layers of composure, and Asher was not someone who revealed his real thoughts easily.
Asher simply nodded once more, his face unchanged. The question had been asked purely out of straightforward curiosity. He had no intention of judging Finch or lecturing him about strength, effort, or potential. His mind briefly reflected on the incident earlier when he heard thirty-four students were expelled. Back then, he had made an offhand joke internally, wondering who the incredibly lucky two hundred and thirty-fourth-ranked student had been. He found the coincidence mildly amusing now.
Without further comment, Asher walked past Finch and took a seat on another couch. He did not offer advice, did not attempt to inspire Finch, and certainly did not declare that he would train him or make him stronger. Asher was too pragmatic and far too occupied with his own training regimen to take on additional burdens. His training schedule was already stacked with objectives, goals, and techniques he needed to refine.
Finch, however, felt a shift within himself. As he turned and sat on another couch, his face was calm, but his eyes held newfound determination. To others, it had merely been a simple question, but to him, it felt like a subtle reminder, an acknowledgment that he existed and a silent challenge that only he could choose to answer. The simple acknowledgment from someone like the Tenth Sun had ignited a quiet fire within him.
And that, perhaps, was enough.