Chapter 200: A Bold Declaration Victor’s expression shifted rapidly between surprise and shock.
Before he could voice his thoughts, the classroom door swung open with a resounding bang, interrupting their conversation abruptly.
The sudden intrusion left them both startled, turning their attention toward the door to see who had barged in so unceremoniously.
Amidst the students’ hushed murmurs, a figure burst into the room, commanding attention. His vibrant hair, dyed an electric shade immediately drew gazes, and his skin was adorned with various piercings that glinted in the light. His flashy branded attire, a riot of colors, practically assaulted the eyes of onlookers.
"Xin! Where are you, you punk!" the guy’s voice reverberated through the room, and his rage was palpable as he kicked aside some tables, his lackeys trailing behind him like loyal shadows.
Upon locking eyes with Xin, the guy’s anger boiled over. "There you are, you bastard!"
With determined strides, he stormed toward Xin’s table. His face contorted with fury. He leaned forward menacingly, his narrowed eyes squinting, spittle flying in his wake.
"You! What is your relationship with Lady Seraphina, huh?! A nobody like you, think you can approach her? She’s way out of your league! What are you doing with her in that restaurant?! What did you do to her?! Did you poison her to go out with you?! How dare you even breathe the same air as us, you pathetic punk!"
Maximillian’s voice, sharp and accusatory, cut through the air, demanding an explanation. The room held its breath, anticipating Xin’s response to the barrage of questions and accusations.
Xin tilted his head, his expression stoic. "Who are you?"
The guy pulled back in shock, his teeth grinding while the others snickered in the background.
"What do you mean, who am I?! We’ve met each other in the canteen!"
The guy was about to grab Xin’s collar when Victor stood and stopped him, his grip firm and unyielding.
"That’s enough, Maximillian," Victor said, his tone carrying a weight of authority.
When Victor mentioned his name, Xin finally remembered.
It was the same guy who had stormed him in the canteen when he was taking that exam. Maximillian, the self-proclaimed leader of Seraphina’s fan club.
Maximillian’s face turned red with frustration, sweat trickling down the side of his face as he felt Victor’s hand gripping his wrist. "Y-you . . ."
"Why don’t you ask your goddess herself instead of harassing Xin?" Victor’s voice was calm but carried an underlying warning.
Maximillian wrenched his hand violently, his lackeys reacting violently, too, their expressions twisted in anger.
"What do you mean, ask Lady Seraphina?! Of course, our goddess has nothing to do with it! She would never go out with someone like him!"
"She must have done something!"
"She must have blackmailed Lady Seraphina!"
Their accusations filled the room, a cacophony of outrage and disbelief.
Victor, however, remained unmoved, his gaze steady, while Xin couldn’t care less about their accusations.
Looked like the situation had escalated far beyond his expectations.
Rather, their imagination came close to being ridiculous.
Could anyone even blackmail Seraphina?
"Stop being so loud in here. This isn’t your department and classroom, so you guys should move the hell out."
A calm, detached, and icy voice suddenly intruded, cutting through the tension like a knife.
Maximillian, fueled by anger and pride, couldn’t let himself back down. "Huh? What did you say, you little–!" he began to roar, but his words faltered when he realized the identity of the person confronting them.
It was Viviane, the prodigy of the art department, who regarded Maximillian and his lackeys with a disdainful expression as though they were nothing more than disgusting bugs.
Even though their departments were kilometers apart, Maximillian knew who Viviane was.
Viviane crossed her arms, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel. "Get lost. You’re disrupting the classroom. Or has your brain been clouded by this so-called goddess of yours to the point where you can no longer think or hear?"
A vein bulged on Maximillian’s forehead, and he blanked out. Anyone who insulted Lady Seraphina would pay. "You’ve done it now, you little brat. I don’t care if you’re a prodigy or a famous little brat; that mouth of yours needs a good spanking!"
With a swift, unexpected movement, Maximillian’s palm arched through the air as if he intended to strike Viviane.
The room held its breath, the atmosphere crackling with tension as everyone watched, stunned by the audacity of his actions.
Vivian was caught off guard by Maximillian’s sudden violence, and her eyes widened in disbelief. She hadn’t anticipated that he would actually raise his hand against her.
The tension in the room reached a fever pitch as Maximillian’s hand, poised to strike, hovered dangerously close to Viviane’s face.
The collective gasp of the onlookers hung in the air, a palpable mixture of shock and fear.
Just as Maximillian’s fingers twitched, ready to deliver the blow, a blur of movement intervened.
Xin was faster than anyone could comprehend and shot out his hand and gripped Maximillian’s wrist with a force that surprised everyone.
"You’re here for me, right?" Xin’s voice cut through the tension. His eyes, usually calm and placid, were now steely. "Don’t bother others."
Maximillian’s eyes widened in surprise, partly from the sudden interruption and partly from the unexpected strength in Xin’s grip.
The room buzzed with whispers as the students exchanged astonished glances. No one had anticipated Xin’s swift and assertive response.
. Viviane, her face still displaying shock from the near encounter, took a step back, her eyes now fixed on Xin.
She hadn’t expected him to step in. She was nothing but bitchy to him, and she didn’t know what to feel at this moment when he saved her.
Maximillian, though momentarily stunned, quickly regained his composure. His face contorted with a mix of anger and embarrassment as he jerked his hand away from Xin’s grip.
However, before the situation could escalate further, Maximillian’s rage boiled over. With a sudden surge of aggression, he lunged at Xin, grabbing his collar and spat on his face.
"Are you challenging me?! Do you know who you’re up against?!" he seethed, his voice dripping with hostility.
Just as the tension reached its peak, a forceful impact resonated through the air.
Maximillian recoiled as a backpack smacked against his head, causing him to release his grip on Xin’s collar in shock.
A fierce growl cut through the air, and Xiaxia stepped forward, her eyes blazing with fury. "Let go of my brother!" she roared.
X-Xiaxia? Xin was flabbergasted at the sudden appearance of his sister. What was she doing here?
He thought that she already went to her class.
Maximillian and his lackeys recovered from their shock and directed their anger toward Xiaxia. Some of them grabbed her, causing her to wince in pain.
"Let go of me!"
"That hurts!" Maximillian shouted while rubbing the back of his head, his temper flaring. He aimed to strike his fist at Xiaxia, but before he could land a blow, Xin saw black, and his instincts kicked in.
In a split second, Xin seized Maximillian’s hand and, with a swift motion, threw him to the ground.
The impact reverberated through the room, momentarily silencing the chaos as Maximillian sprawled on the floor, his pride wounded and his aggression subdued.
The sudden action had stunned everyone once again, the classroom falling into a hushed silence as Maximillian spat a mouthful of saliva when his back met the hard, cold floor.
Maximillian’s lackeys were quick to react, launching themselves at Xin.
One of them managed to land a punch on Xin’s face, but Victor swiftly threw a chair in their way, obstructing their movements.
Chaos erupted in the classroom as a fight broke out. Xin and Victor squared off against Maximillian and his lackeys, with Xiaxia providing support from the rear.
Amidst the chaos, a sudden voice sliced through the air, carrying an authority that demanded immediate attention.
"What are you doing?"
The words hung in the air, and like a hypnotic command, the fighting abruptly ceased. All eyes turned toward the source of the voice.
There, standing at the doorway, was Seraphina.
A collective gasp rippled through the room. The elusive woman, whom they had only seen from afar, was now standing right in front of them!
Maximillian quickly forgot about his aching head and back and shot to his feet, his eyes filled with adoration and reverence.
"L-Lady Seraphina . . ."
"What are you doing?" Seraphina’s voice cut through the air again, cold and emotionless. Her eyes, like bottomless pits, stared at Maximillian, who felt like a lost puppy drowning in her gaze.
It was the first time that Xin had laid eyes on her in that indifferent state. She was nothing but friendly to him, so this side of her was new to him.
"I-I . . . I was just teaching this guy a lesson," Maximillian stammered, trying hard not to stutter. "He must have done something to you, like blackmailing you to have lunch with him, or poisoned your drink or something . . ."
"Xin didn’t do such things," Seraphina defended.
Maximillian frowned, attempting to assert his stance. "Lady Seraphina, you don’t have to defend this guy just because he’s the son of your father’s employee."
"I’m the one who asked him to have lunch with me," Seraphina stated, her words cutting through the room, sharp and direct.
"Yes. Yes. You’re the one . . . WHAT?!"
A stunned silence fell over the room as everyone processed the revelation.
"N-no way!"
"W-why?"
"WHY?!"
"Why?" Seraphina huffed a chuckle.
Meanwhile, Xin wiped the blood from the side of his mouth, his eyes steady as he watched Seraphina approach him. She stopped by his side, placed a hand over his shoulder, and declared boldly.
"Because Xin and I are going out."