When did these two girls appear?
I scowled. How could she act like nothing happened? Like she didn’t just destroy my entire perception of reality?
Seconds later, a teacher arrived.
"You guys—what are you doing here?"
It was Elizabeth-sensei.
I tensed immediately.
She wasn’t just any teacher—she was a high-ranking Esper from the Association.
I was screwed.
Elizabeth-sensei scanned the scene, her eyes settling on me.
"I heard there was a fight in the cafeteria. Are you all alright?"
She paused. Her gaze landed on my handcuffs.
"…Why is he handcuffed?"
The girl who restrained me answered flatly.
"He tried to attack Aria."
"What?"
Shit.
I could tell Elizabeth-sensei didn’t know yet. She had no idea I had used my power in front of ordinary people.
Which meant that I still had a chance to feign ignorance.
"This is a misunderstanding!" I started.
But before I could even begin to defend myself, Aria cut in.
"Oh? Which part?" she said coolly. "The part where you tried to punch me in the face? Or the part where you accused me of being a crossdressing freak?"
I clenched my jaw and glared at her.
"She—he—whatever—was getting too close to Kotori! I was only protecting her!"
Even if Aria was a girl, she was still nothing but a commoner. She had no right to be near Kotori!
Long story short, Elizabeth-sensei asked us to discuss it further in the faculty office.
I swallowed hard.
Great.
At least it wasn’t the Association’s prison.
There was nothing particularly eventful about our time in the faculty office.
Just the usual teacher-student lecture about misconduct, the importance of self-control, and the value of friendship.
Elizabeth-sensei’s speech was as dull as expected. I nodded along, saying what needed to be said.
The important thing was that I was getting out of here.
Or so I thought.
The moment Kotori and Aria stepped out of the faculty office, I let out a relieved breath, ready to leave as well—
But then, without warning, the girl who had cuffed me grabbed me by the neck.
"—?!"
I barely had time to react before the world blurred.
The next thing I knew—
The scenery had changed.
Darkness.
I was no longer in the faculty office.
I sat on a wooden chair, bound tightly at the wrists. A single lamp beamed down on my face, blinding me to everything beyond its reach.
The air was cold. Stale. Heavy.
There was no doubt about it.
This was an interrogation room.
"You think you’ll just walk away free… after violating the number one rule for Espers?"
A woman's voice.
Cold. Crisp. Unforgiving.
I tensed as footsteps echoed around me. I couldn’t see her.
"Name: Yuya Fiolera."