Chapter 257: Useless thoughts
"Why didn’t you both just head straight to the auditorium for the conference or whatever it is that was announced?" Asher asked, his tone even and unhurried as he leaned back slightly.
After the apocalyptic incident four days ago and the rapid reconstruction of the academy buildings and roadways, the Vice Principal, Berion, had issued a compulsory notice. The Star Academy would be holding a grand assembly for all students currently enrolled, meaning the first-year, second-year, and third-year students would all be gathered in one place. It was meant to be an important event, or so the academy claimed, but to many, it felt like yet another formality.
"Meh... what’s the point of rushing there? It’s just going to be a bunch of speeches all over again. I’m honestly tired of these kinds of things. I just want to skip straight to the battles and training. The battlefield isn’t a courtroom, you know?" William replied, waving his hand lazily as if swatting away the very idea of enduring another tedious academy address.
Finch, seated quietly to the side, remained still, unsure if he should speak or remain silent. Unlike William, he could not casually address the Tenth Sun by name. Each interaction required calculation, each word measured before spoken. After a short internal debate, he decided it was better to remain silent for the time being unless the conversation shifted in his direction directly. His instincts told him that unnecessary words could very easily lead to unnecessary problems.
After all, if he said something foolish and somehow offended the Tenth Sun, what then? Would the First Sun, known for his terrifying authority, take offense on behalf of his younger brother and wipe out Finch’s entire bloodline? Could his so-called Good Luck ability truly protect him against someone like that? The answer was unclear, and he had no intention of finding out through experience.
Asher sighed inwardly. He too saw little purpose in attending the conference or whatever ceremonial event was about to take place, but attendance was mandatory. Skipping it was simply not an option.
’I wonder if someone like Naruto could talk their way out of a battle with an Emovira... make them reflect on life, have a sudden change of heart, and all that nonsense,’ Asher mused silently, a faint spark of amusement flashing through his eyes as he remembered the infamous ’talk-no-jutsu’ trope that had turned many enemies into allies in those old anime stories.
"Well, they said they would be awarding a few students with points. I guess that might be the only fun part of the event today," Asher intoned. He had already decided that after classes ended, he would dive straight into training, and for that, academy points were essential. So even though he didn’t care much for the assembly, if points were to be distributed, then attending could potentially be beneficial.
’I wonder if she will be there,’ his mind drifted momentarily, and the image of Cindralis surfaced unbidden. The thought of her made his gaze sharpen slightly, and then, like a flicker of lightning, his mind jumped to the teleportation ring. An idea blossomed in his mind, clear and sudden, like a light bulb appearing above his head.
"I have something to give you, William," Asher said suddenly, a rare faint smile appearing on his lips.
William raised an eyebrow, his expression lifting slightly in curiosity. He didn’t ask what it was. Instead, he simply waited, confident that Asher would reveal it in his own time.
Asher slipped his hand casually into his pocket, though what he actually did was summon the teleportation ring from his system inventory, allowing it to materialize within his grasp. He then pulled his hand out, revealing the golden ring resting in his palm, and extended it slightly toward William.
"This," he said simply.
William’s gaze moved from the ring to Asher’s face with a very peculiar expression. He did not even consider the possibility that this could be the teleportation ring given earlier by the Principal, despite the identical design. In his mind, there was no scenario in which Asher would simply hand over such a valuable treasure. Therefore, his thoughts... took a completely different turn.
"Tenth Sun," William spoke slowly, this time using the formal title rather than the casual address he normally used, a subtle frown forming on his features, "I am not into men, so I won’t be able to accept this ring from you. And might I add, I’m far too busy to judge who you keep in your bed."
At that moment, the air itself seemed to still. The room went silent. William’s black eyes met Asher’s purple ones with an expression that was a mix of seriousness and forced dignity.
Asher’s mind blanked for a full second.
...What?
He was utterly speechless. Where, how, why did William’s mind leap to that conclusion? He hadn’t mentioned it was the teleportation ring because he assumed William would recognize it immediately. Yet somehow, this absurd misunderstanding was born instantly, flourishing like a poisonous flower in less than a heartbeat.
His gaze slowly slid toward Finch.
Without a word, Asher extended his hand toward Finch instead, offering the ring to him now. Perhaps Finch, who hadn’t seen the teleportation ring before, would at least ask before jumping to wild conclusions.
Finch froze entirely, his eyes widening. Unfortunately... he had arrived at the exact same conclusion as William.
His mind spiraled out of control. Could he refuse? Would refusing cause offense? Would offense lead to disaster? His thoughts flickered to his father, his mother, and his younger sister who had failed her awakening. Would they be erased from existence because he dared to reject the Tenth Sun’s... affection?
Sweat began to bead on his forehead. His throat tightened. He remembered the soft touches and fragrances of the women he had been with in the past. Yet even those memories suddenly felt distant, fading rapidly as if his own identity was being overwritten.
This was, without a doubt, one of those moments where he desperately wished his Good Luck ability came with manual control.
With visible effort, Finch rose, every muscle in his body tense, and took the ring from Asher’s hand.
"T... tha... thank you, Tenth Sun," he forced out, every word sounding like a struggle between fear, and existential crisis.
Asher stared at Finch for a long moment, then genuinely understood. If he were standing in Finch’s position and witnessing the same chain of events, he too might have arrived at a similar wild misunderstanding.
And then;
"HAHAHAHA!" Asher suddenly burst into laughter, unable to restrain himself any longer.
William and Finch both froze, expressions locked between shock and confusion as they watched him laugh.
"You can both stop your useless thoughts and overthinking," Asher finally said once his laughter died down, amusement still glinting in his eyes. "The ring is just the teleportation ring that the Principal handed to me a few days back."
He laughed again lightly, clearly entertained by the sheer absurdity radiating from both of their faces.