Inverse System

"Hmmm, who could it have been? I might have to ask some of the members of checkmate, don't I?" Core laughed nervously as everyone looked at him suspiciously.

"Hey, Core…" Rein uttered, which made Core turn around and begin to walk out of the room.

"Well, it's been nice meeting with you principal Julianne! You can deal with Riskel however you see fit. See you guys!" He walked out of the room, nobody trying to stop him.

"Do you think..?" Clyde looked at Rein and Julianne, both of them quietly thinking to themselves.

"We shouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly. Let's investigate the matter some more and then get back to it," Julianne concluded as they heard Riskel coughing, trying to get their attention.

"*ahem*. So, I presume you'll be letting me go free now?" He spoke, Julianne beginning to laugh, thinking it was a joke.

"You think we'd let you go free? You're funny. Though I suppose you've earned the right to live after that. And your Spring could prove to be useful to us. Besides, we've been short on janitors in the school. Ahhh, a willing worker and I don't even have to pay them!" Julianne rambled as Riskel complained, unable to do anything. By himself, he was useless.

"Wha! I am not willing! You're just enslaving me! Crypt is going to come after me, and when they do, you'll regret it!" He protested.

"Haha, I bet they will. I won't hold my breath though," she joked as she laughed to herself, Clyde and Rein began walking out of the room.

"Hold on Rein. Clyde, you can leave, but I need to talk to Rein for just a little longer," she said as she then called out to Wallace, who came and took Riskel, assigning him living quarters and his new 'job'.

"Very well. I will inform the girls that you will be late Rein," Clyde remarked as he left the room.

"Thanks, Clyde. I'll see you later," he waved, then turned his head back to the principal, with who he was alone in the room.

"Alright Rein, let's get down to business. You've fought Luther, haven't you?" She dropped the question, to which Rein's eyebrows twitched, putting his guard up against the woman.

"How… How do you know that name?" He threatened as Julianne laughed at his reaction.

"Haha, no need to be so wary. Luther is… my older brother," she revealed, running putting his guard down as he heard.

"Your… Brother?" Rein thought back to the first time he met Luther when he felt he recognized his commanding voice.

It reminded him of the principal, and now that he'd associated them, he could see the connection.

"So you've met him then..? How's he been? Does he look like he's doing well?" She asked.

"Do you even know what he's become? He works for my aunt now. He's her right-hand man!" Rein yelled, to which Julianne wearily smiled.

"I'm aware."

"You're aware and you haven't done anything? How did you even let him get to that point?" Rein questioned, making Julianne clearly uncomfortable.

"Tch, sorry. He looked healthy if that's what you're worried about. Don't get it twisted though, next time I see him, I'm aiming for the neck," Rein told her as he turned around, assuming their meeting was over.

"One last thing… You know something about his power, don't you? He was always Springless, but then he suddenly developed several different Springs," Julianne demanded.

"..."

"If you know anything, I would suggest informing the guild. I don't think it's in your best interest to keep the information to yourself, especially considering how many lives could be saved using it," she said as Rein continued walking towards the exit, feeling turmoil in his heart as he remorsefully kept silent.

"I don't know anything."

He made his way back to the dormitory, entered the elevator, and rose to the top floor. The crackling metal noises of the elevator battered against his ears, reminding him of Luther's sound Spring. He held his head in slight pain as he arrived at the top floor, seeing a blonde, spiky-haired man standing in front of the elevator, waiting with a lollipop in his mouth and his hands in his pocket.

"It's you… What are you doing on the luxury floor?" Rein asked the man he knew as Sho Anagi, the number 1 ranked student in the class.

"..." He walked past Rein and into the elevator, continuing to suck on his lollipop as he ignored him.

"Hey, I'm talking to you here," Rein grabbed him by the shoulder, then suddenly felt a sharp sear on the palm of his hand, letting go promptly.

"Don't touch me you dirty pig. If you're not gonna get off my ass about it, I was escorting the princess to her room. What's a weakling like you doing up here?" the man scoffed as he took the lollipop out of his mouth and held it in his hand.

"No way… Is he…" Rein thought in his mind as he tried copying his Spring with 'On Sight', a skill which allowed him to copy a Spring by looking at the user, as long as he knew what their Spring was.

Suddenly, he felt the skill work, copying the inverse of the man's Spring, making Rein step away in confusion.

"Answer me you hog. I don't like repeating myself," he impatiently asked.

Suddenly, Rein smiled from ear to ear as he looked at the man smugly.

"You escorted the princess? Well, personally I'm escorting myself," he pointed at his room, which was the same room Sho brought Chloe into.

"You…" Sho put the lollipop back into his mouth.

Rein slowly walked to the door and slowly reached for the door handle. As his hands made contact with it, he swiftly moved his head backward, dodging a flying kick from Sho.

"The hell do you think you're doing? Attacking a man minding his own business," Rein remarked teasingly.

He walked away from the door and stood in the middle of the lobby, facing Sho in the large corridor.

"I should be asking you that question. Just what the fuck do you think you're doing entering the princess's room, asshole?!"

"What's wrong? I just wanted to go into the room. What's gotten you so worked up?" Rein provoked him as he reached back to the door handle, Sho promptly dashing towards him and grabbing his arm.

"Let go of the handle or your hand comes off," Sho threatened as Rein smiled at him.

Rein powered through his grip and continued holding the handle, pulling it down slightly. Suddenly, Sho's grip tightened greatly as he took a deep breath.

"I warned you," Sho remarked as Rein continued pressing down on the handle.

"What the hell?!" Sho screamed as a wave of water exuded from his hand, splashing on Rein's wrist, allowing him to escape his hold.

"Wow, you've got really sweaty palms! Almost flooded the room. Now could you please let me get into my room?" Rein waved his wrist, shaking it from the pressure of Sho's hand.

He showed remarkable strength, Rein almost felt that his wrist was broken. Though, after he let go, Rein promptly recovered as he opened the room with a key, which greatly confused Sho.

"Hold on… Your room?"

"Hm? Yeah, this is my room. What's wrong with you? Trying to stop a man from entering his room. Seriously, who does that," Rein smacked his own head in laughter as Sho stood there, dumbfounded.

"You… You live in the same room as the princess?! Who do you think you are!" Sho protested.

"Me? I'm Rein Xilris. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sho Anagi," he menacingly smiled at him, making Sho grow a slight scowl on his smooth face.

"This is unacceptable…"

"What's that? Couldn't quite catch what you said…" Rein put his ears out, motioning that he should speak up.

"Rein? Is that you?" A female voice came out of the room, footsteps approaching the door as the two men stared each other down.

Chloe arrived at the door, seeing the scene unfolding before her.

"Rein Xilris was it? Don't get cocky you pissant. You don't belong within 100 meters of the princess. I challenge you to a duel, tomorrow after class. The winner will earn the right to stand by the princess. If you don't accept, I'll count myself as the winner," Sho proposed, to which Rein smiled, being given the chance to fight for the number 1 spot in the class.

"Sure. That spot is mine," he accepted his challenge, the two looking at each other with fire in their eyes.

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