Iris Cromwell *

Scarlet is sprinting through the academy's bustling hallways, avoiding every student she comes across.

"Excuse me! Coming through!" She blurted out.

Due to her haste, she collided with an unsuspecting black-haired nerdy girl, causing her to drop her heavy textbooks on the floor. She has braided hair and wears a black baggy jacket covering much of her top, despite wearing a mini skirt, she paired it with a pantyhose to cover her slim delicate legs.

"Sorry!" Scarlet said without looking back or thinking about helping the girl out.

"...." The nerdy student could only pout her rosy lips to the side.

"Hmph!"

She spends over to pick up her textbooks before adjusting her thick glasses. The glasses cover half of her face leaving only the bottom exposed. In frustration, she marches away, cutely stomping her doll shoes.

Scarlet turns a corner with only one thing on her running on her mind.

"(Please don't kill anyone, please don't kill anyone, please don't kill anyone)" Praying to every god she knows of.

Due to her proximity to Rhen and Azrel, she knows that all it takes is one good punch in the head from either of the two brothers to kill a student.

There, she sees Azrel lifting a student by the head while the student tries to punch but is unable to reach Azrel. Another student is kicking Azrel in the side, yet the student is the only one who is hurt.

When Scarlet turns to Rhen, her face froze as she couldn't believe the scene. Her knees drop to the floor upon seeing the carnage Rhen brought to the delinquents.

In front of her are dozens of students writhing on the ground in pain, their weapons bent, bones shattered, and a Gorilla half dead on the ground foaming in his mouth.

Rhen tosses another kid that he's holding by the neck like a dirty rag. The pupil yelps as he collides with the wall and is knocked out.

"Looks like you're late for the party!" Rhen stated to Scarlet while dusting off his hands of any dirt he got from the fight.

"Late for the party!? OMG! You just killed someone. I'm going to get in trouble! I will lose my scholarship. Noooooo!"

Scarlet loses it, she pounds the ground with her fists knowing she'll be in a lot of trouble once Iris finds out about this.

Azrel dispatches his adversaries with a fast jab to the gut, taking care not to overdo it. He then walks over to his girlfriend and rubs her back in an attempt to calm her.

"It's fine Scarly, no one died." Azrel paused for a moment before continuing. "Yet." He then gave her a nervous laugh.

In an attempt to defend himself, Rhen explained what happened in detail. "I mean, these guys attacked us first." Pointing to Gori.

He flips Gori on his back using his foot before kicking his side lightly to check if Gori's still alive or not.

"Ughhh..." Gori lets out a barely audible groan.

"See, he's still alive." Rhen grins sarcastically, making light of the situation.

"Mmmfhh!" Scarlet stood up and pouts angrily with clenched fists. "Come here you two now!"

Scarlet may not be up to par in strength but she sure knows how to play the big sister role.

Meanwhile, the disciplinary committee moves in and takes control of the situation.

Scarlet brings Rhen and Azrel In a secluded corner, for a good old scolding. She points her finger at them telling them why it's wrong to beat up people much weaker than them.

Rhen stands there cleaning his ear with a pinky finger while Azrel grins trying to calm his girlfriend down.

Scarlet's sermons were much like a parent reprimanding her misbehaving kid. Her remarks, however, enter Rhen's ear and exit the other. He never once looked her in the eyes. Rhen hopes Scarlet understands and ends her sermons early.

"Look at me boys, most of them are weak. I mean, they are weak. All it takes is one mistake and you can kill someone."

Rhen understands what she's trying to say, but it's not like he's just going to let someone look down on him for their amusement. He turns toward Scarlet and gives her a piece of his mind.

"Look Scarlet, we know. We're not idiots, but I do not come here just to have a guy look down on me as if I'm an ATM. Don't worry, we're not mindless killers." Rhen gives Scarlet a reassuring smile.

His answers managed to calm her down. Scarlet is usually not like this, maybe she was expecting an entrance where she could proudly show off her hunk of a boyfriend and brother to her friends like a teenage girl.

Instead, what she got was a massacre.

Scarlet lets out a sigh. "Alright, but I'm trusting both of you." Placing her hand on both of their shoulders and looks at both of them with pleading eyes.

Honestly, Rhen is just using this academy as a cover, he does not care much about the students. However, Scarlet does not see it that way and she seriously wanted Rhen to enjoy life in the academy.

-

[Tell her everything will be alright]

[Tell her you can't assure anything]

[Tell her you're out for blood]

-

Rhen tells her what she wants to hear.

"Don't worry Scarlet, everything will be fine." Plastering a smile on his face. In reality, he cannot assure the lives of the delinquents if they take it too far.

"Alright, Rhen." Scarlet smiles, she likes what he just said.

-

Scarlet - Relationship Level: ♥♥♥♥♡♡♡♡♡♡+1

-

Scarlet then turns to her boyfriend with flushed cheeks.

"You too Azzy, don't do anything stupid."

"You can count on us Scarly, but if I see someone seriously getting hurt, I can't just stand there doing nothing." Replied Azrel.

"Just be careful not to get hurt, both of you."

Scarlet then hugs both of them tightly like one big happy family, with Rhen looking to the side embarrassed.

"(What the hell is she doing, there are people watching us.)" Rhen thought to himself as he sees some female students giggling at his dilemma.

Unbeknownst to him, Rhen's face has a rosy tint running from cheek to cheek. Instead of getting turned off, girls find it cute and endearing.

After Scarlet has had her fill of affection, she tells them that it's better to come with her to see Iris.

"Iris? whos that?" Rhen questions her.

"She's the dean of sorts in this place."

"I guess where in huh?"

"Wweeell... About that, it's best to ask her that yourself. Hehehe." Scarlet's tone is unsure, she scratches the side of her nervously grinning mouth.

"(Well there is no point in waiting here.)" Rhen thought. "Alright, lead the way."

With that said Scarlet leads the two brothers to the Dean's office.

***********************

Noon (Wed) Spring 3 Year 1

Dean's office, Main section, Neocademy.

-----------------------------------------

Rhen stood before a large brown double door with a brass plate on top saying "Dean's Office."

Before heading inside, Scarlet gives them some pieces of advice.

"Look guys, the Dean is very strict, so just try to answer things truthfully as possible. If not, then at least make it sound convincing."

Rhen is not much of an actor, but he knows how to make up a good story if need be.

"Alright, here goes nothing." Scarlet then takes a deep breath and opens the door.

As they stepped into the dean's office, a warm and inviting atmosphere enveloped them. The room has a sense of comfort as if it were a sanctuary amidst the bustling campus.

Two plush couches are in the center, they are facing each other with a magnificent blackwood coffee table dividing the two.

The Dean is absent from her paper-filled desk. Notably, there are several bouquets of roses with unopened letters attached to the side addressed to "Iris Cromwell".

Rhen presumed this to be her suitors trying to woo her heart as spring 14 is fast approaching. Unfortunately for them, it looks like she never tried to read them and stacked them as if it were a common occurrence.

He slowly pans across the room taking in every detail with a keen eye, until his eyes met a woman with vibrant purple hair. Her back turned towards him as she stood before the towering bookshelf. The air around her seemed to hum with an air of mystery.

There was something undeniably familiar about her silhouette, an uncanny resemblance to the woman who had once held Rhen's heart captive. The way she carried herself, the gentle sway of her hips, and the cascade of her hair all echoed the image of his most cherished love.

Unlike the night before, Rhen knows she's real and more importantly he's awake.

She is reading a book, the Grimoire of Shadows, just like the one Lena use as her primary weapon. Memories start to flood in of his time with her and his heart started to race.

"(I'm going to be the greatest teacher.)" A vision of Lena mentoring the young Rhen flashes across his head; it's the period when Lena has just confessed her desire to be a teacher.

"This is Her Highness, Iris Cromwell, our dean and the Lord of Neotopia." Scarlet introduces Iris to Rhen, but her words fell on deft ears.

Rhen stands there mesmerized by Iris, he walks up towards her and his gait moved faster and faster until his walk turns into a run.

The Iris turns around, alerted by Rhen's echoing footsteps.

"(She really does resemble Lena, Is that really her this time?)" He thought to himself.

Maybe it is her by some miracle as if God breathed her a new life. Rhen does not believe in reincarnation, but maybe, just maybe. He thought that he can hold her in his arms once again.

He sweeps her into his arms, holding her by the waist.

"Ah!" Startled by Rhen's actions, Iris drops the grimoire on the flood with a thud.

Her gaze met his, and in that moment, time seemed to stand still. His hazel-brown eyes, it drew her in, like a moth to a flame. They were intense, filled with a mixture of mystery and vulnerability. As she looked into them, she couldn't help but feel a connection.

Iris attempted to distance herself from Rhen. Yet, his eyes showed remorse and anguish, an inexplicable force compelled her to extend her hand and touched his troubled face.

Time stretched out before me, each passing second feeling like an eternity. The minutes dragged on, heavy with anticipation and uncertainty.

The ticking of the grandfather clock echoed in the silence. There, Iris stood still, her heart pounding in her chest. A faint blush crept up her cheeks, giving her face a delicate rosy hue.

Her lips parted ever so slightly as if she were about to speak. As their eyes locked, a surge of electricity coursed through her veins, causing her heart to hasten its pace.

"(W-what is happening? What is he trying to do? Why is he looking at me so intensely.)" These thoughts raced through her mind with no possible answers she can think of.

Iris found herself unable to tear her gaze away from Rhen's intense, piercing eyes. With each passing moment, a wave of heat coursed through her body, igniting a flame within her that she couldn't ignore.

It was as if his gaze held an inescapable allure drawing her closer, closer to the edge of her own desires. She clasped Rhen's chest, her fingers digging into his flesh. But as her gaze shifted, she found herself unable to meet his eyes, her own drifting to the side.

There was a flicker of hesitation in her demeanor, a subtle vulnerability betrayed her prideful look. Iris is known for her boldness and authority when she interacts with another person, but she found herself in an unusual position.

Standing before her was a man who seemed to have stumbled upon his long-lost lover. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of surprise, joy, and perhaps a hint of disbelief.

It was a sight that caught Iris off guard, for she was accustomed to being the one who took charge in such encounters. Yet, in that moment she felt as if her heart was the one being swept away.

Scarlet watches the scene unfolding with her jaws dropped, she knows that Rhen is a playboy, but this is the Ruler of Neotopia he's getting too comfortable with.

Azrel just chuckles in surprise, he isn't new to watching his brother woo women of high caliber, but seeing it always puts a smile on his face.

Emma watches the scene as well, she too has her jaws open and is about to drop the papers she's holding.

In all her life, Emma knows Iris ever since they were children. Emma and her clan had sworn to protect the Lord at all costs. If she would follow standard procedures, the moment anyone did this to Iris, she would go on the attack.

However, all she can do right now is mutter a few words of astonishment.

"Oh my!"

The heated tension between Rhen and Iris breaks when he mutters a single word.

"Lena."

Because of this, Iris snaps out of it. Her flushed maiden expression drops as Rhen spoked the name of women other than hers.

"Uhm... A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Straza." She curls her lips awkwardly, yet seductive in its own right.

After realizing this is not Lena, Rhen gently helps Iris back up her feet.

"Sorry… I mistook you for someone else." He can't help but scratch the back of your head in response before letting out a playful smirk.

"You're the dean I presume?" Rhen added.

"Of course, I am, who do you think am I? Your girlfriend?"

"Well, you look almost like her, but on closer look, she looks more mature than you thou."

"I see, so you like mature women then or you're telling me I'm immature?"

She may not be the one he loved, but in Rhen's eyes, she's a pretty lady that deserves every bit of his attention.

He places his hand on the wall behind Iris, trapping her in place, Rhen gently lifts her chin and makes her look into your piercing hazel-brown eyes.

"I like all kinds of women, especially pretty ones like you. I don't mind if you're immature" He said with a smooth tone, curling his lips to an alluring half-simper.

Emma's jaws drop even more, not only Iris's face is flushed, even hers too.

However, instead of succumbing to Rhen's charms, Iris keeps it together and gives a response.

She chuckles and moves Rhen's hands away, he can feel her soft hands over his before letting go.

"You're a naughty man Mr. Straza, telling me that I am pretty, and yet you have another woman in your heart or how many do you have in your heart? Are you planning to add me to your collection?" Iris teasingly said with a suggestive smile.

Her heeled boots tap as she walks casually towards the couch in the center of the room, after which she sits down and points to the couch opposite of her.

"Sit." She orders Rhen in a commanding tone.

Rhen smirks in amusement as a girl younger than him tries to put herself above him. Iris is very alluring but there is something dangerous about this woman he thought.

He does as she said and accepts her offer.

"It looks like, you already know my name. Can I ask yours?" He asked in a flirty voice for he wanted to get to know Iris not just in name, but also in bed.

Iris snaps her finger at the three bystanders in the room. "I wish to speak with Mr. Straza alone." She emphasized.

Worried, Emma cautions Iris. "B-but Your Highness, he just tried to"

"I know, Emma." Iris cuts her off before adding.

"However, I have something I need to confirm before allowing him to enter my academy. Besides, I can take care of myself." Iris glares at Emma, the last thing she wants is for people to think she's a damsel.

"As you wish Your Highness." Emma bows and leads Azrel and Scarlet out of the room.

Before Scarlet and Azrel left, Scarlet whispered to Azrel directly in his ear.

"Hey, don't you think they're going to, you know?" She then makes an ok sign and sticks one finger in and out.

"We don't know that yet, and they're adults, let's just leave them be." Whispered Azrel.

Iris's ears twitched upon hearing Scarlet gossip behind her back and irks her to the core.

"Ehem! Miss Flamesong."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Scarlet stands up, stiff as a stick.

"Are you implying we're going to have some quality time after our brief conversation? Now, please leave the two of us alone or I would have you write a hundred-page report on courtesy." Iris glares at her.

"(Oh crap she's angry)"

Scarlet immediately pushes Azrel out of the door not waiting for Emma. "Hahaha… Sorry Your Highness, gotta run bye."

Iris can only shake her head and sigh in reply.

After the three of them left the room, she turns towards Rhen with a domineering look on her pretty face.

"Now then, where shall we start?"

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