RE: The Extra's Dominance

"I wouldn't actively promote to them to join the field trip, but I'll at least recommend it and I wouldn't block your attempts to sway the tertiaries."

Branwen stated with a casual wave of his hand, as though the whole thing wasn't worth too much of his energy. His tone was light, but there was a weight behind it, a certain finality that couldn't be ignored.

And Raven, hearing his words, smiled faintly. The corner of his lips tugged upward, relief and satisfaction mixing together in a subtle gesture.

"That's more than enough, really."

He said before standing up, his movements calm and steady.

"That's all I have to say, I'll be going now."

Raven added firmly, brushing off any lingering tension in the air.

"Sorry for my sudden intrusion."

Swoosh~

The sound was crisp as [Celestria] transformed back into a ring, the gleaming construct slithering fluidly until it wrapped itself once more around Raven's right index finger. The motion felt natural now, like the artifact was an extension of him.

He was about to turn, ready to walk toward Lana—

"You really can't say who did you get that information?"

When Branwen suddenly asked that, voice calm yet holding an edge of curiosity. His eyes were sharp, his smile faint, but Raven could hear the weight in his words.

He was, of course, talking about Raven's claim that there would be a terrorist attack during the field trip.

Raven stopped for only a second, shook his head once, and answered firmly.

"I can't."

His tone was simple, resolute, leaving no cracks for Branwen to exploit.

Without waiting for Branwen's response, Raven moved forward again and walked straight toward Lana.

"Let's go, we're done here."

He said as if nothing more needed to be discussed.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Lana asked, confusion clear in her tone as her brows furrowed.

Raven had cast a support magic earlier called [Noise Barrier]. It was an ability that created a dome of silence around the caster, the size depending on the amount of mana poured into it. Inside that dome, no sound could leak in or out.

Because of that, his conversation with Branwen had been entirely unheard by others. He had specifically done this so Lana wouldn't hear anything about the planned terrorist attack.

He needed the field trip to proceed exactly as scheduled.

"Meh, I'll just tell you what happened on the way."

Moving on smoothly, Raven said that to Lana, his tone casual as though the entire meeting had been a trivial errand. Then he continued walking toward the door.

"Hey, wait!"

Lana quickly followed after him, her voice chasing his back. And bot long after—

Shiii–

FWIP–

The door opened and closed, and the two of them left the classroom.

"..."

Branwen just sat there for a moment, watching the pair disappear without saying another word.

The room was silent once again. The atmosphere left behind carried the impression of Raven, like a storm that had barged in suddenly and left just as abruptly, leaving everyone else in the wake of its turbulence.

"Haha, that kid is weird."

Branwen muttered to himself with a laugh, breaking the silence. He rose slowly, stretching his arms, and placed a hand on the backrest of his chair.

SHHHHK—

Then with an amused smile plastered across his face, he started dragging the chair back to his usual spot at the rear of the room.

'Too bad the Student Council got him before us...'

Branwen thought, eyes narrowing in slight annoyance, though the smirk never left his lips.

'Though, I don't think he'll fit our group... nor will he fit the Student Council either.'

He mused silently, his mind ticking as he analyzed Raven's actions.

'He doesn't fit in any group, really. He's more like someone who does whatever he likes, a weirdo who acts without hesitation, someone who prefers to move alone and settle matters in his own way... a lone wolf, in short.'

Branwen remembered vividly the moment Raven entered earlier with Lana. Even though she was with him, Raven had taken the initiative, making decisions on his own without consulting her. Lana's expressions at the time revealed she hadn't been aware of Raven's intentions at all.

'What's more, he gave me valuable information, yet deliberately kept it hidden from the Student Council— the very organization he's supposed to belong to.'

The contradiction only made Raven more intriguing in Branwen's eyes.

In his perspective, Raven was like a double-edged sword— dangerous, unpredictable, and capable of cutting both ways depending on where he stood.

"Haha, looks like Lillen will have a lot of headaches before she steps down as the Student Council President."

He whispered under his breath, chuckling at the thought.

Still, Branwen wasn't exactly caught off guard. He had already known that something unusual was bound to happen during the field trip. He had his own source of information, after all.

But he hadn't expected it to be something as extreme as a terrorist attack.

He hadn't originally planned to attend. His disinterest was the only reason, but now... after learning what Raven revealed, his decision shifted completely.

Because deep down, Branwen was the type who thrived on challenges. A guy who loved fighting, who enjoyed the thrill of being in the spotlight.

For him, danger wasn't a deterrent, it was an invitation!

"What did you two talk about?"

Darci asked the moment Branwen returned to his seat, curiosity brimming in her voice.

"Nothing, just something interesting."

Branwen replied with a shrug, his expression casual. He had no intention of sharing the details with anyone else.

"Hmm..."

Darci narrowed her eyes slightly, suspicion flickering across her face. But after a while, she just sighed and let it go.

"So, what do you think about that Raven guy? Should we try and get him to join us?"

She asked, clearly testing the waters.

Branwen immediately shook his head without hesitation.

"I don't want someone in my group to steal my spotlight."

He declared, lips curling into a sly smile. His words carried confidence, almost arrogance, but also honesty— Branwen wasn't one to share the stage easily.

"..."

Darci was left speechless at the blunt response. She could only stare at him.

Then at that moment—

Branwen straightened his posture, lifted his chin slightly, and spoke in a clear, steady, and fairly loud voice that carried across the room.

"There will be a field trip next week, I'll be going. I wouldn't tell you to join as well, do whatever you want."

His tone was casual, almost lazy, but his words carried a subtle weight.

"But if you plan to go as well, bring your friends along. The more, the messier... or whatever the saying is."

He declared simply, like it wasn't worth putting effort into, but his voice cut through the quiet room nonetheless.

"..."

"..."

Everyone in the room froze for a moment. His words weren't filled with power or commanding tone, but they didn't need to be. To them, they were the words of their leader, and that was more than enough.

...

...

...

*****

Moving on...

"What happened there?"

Lana asked Raven as soon as they stepped out of the [A-3] classroom. Her voice carried a hint of curiosity.

Raven, still walking ahead, glanced over his shoulder at her before answering.

"Branwen said he'll at least recommend to the tertiaries to join the field trip, and he wouldn't do anything to stop us from swaying the others to participate as well."

"...?"

Lana narrowed her eyes, her expression filled with doubt after hearing his words.

"He said that?"

"Yep."

"And you believed he'll really do that?"

"Yep."

Raven's answers were short, immediate, and given without hesitation, as if he didn't need to second-guess Branwen at all.

"Branwen and his group have been trying to oppose the Student Council for two years now. If he did say what you told me, he's probably just lying to get you to leave."

Lana said, reminding Raven of the rivalry between the [Student Council] and [Crimson Fala].

"Meh."

But Raven just shrugged his shoulders as if the issue was insignificant. He stopped walking for a moment, forcing Lana to halt as well.

Then, turning to face her directly, a mischievous smile curved on his lips.

"Just trust me, it'll all work out."

Raven declared that with quiet confidence.

"..."

Lana frowned, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something, but no words came. She was left staring at Raven, speechless, caught between disbelief and reluctant trust.

And just when she finally opened her mouth, ready to speak—

"Anyway, I'll be going now. I'm not done training for the day yet."

Raven cut her off suddenly.

TAP–

And without waiting for her response, he bolted forward, his footsteps echoing as he sprinted down the hallway!

"Wha..."

Lana was left standing there alone in the quiet corridor of the tertiary building, her voice caught in her throat.

Then as she watched Raven's back getting smaller and smaller in the distance—

"Ugh... He's annoying."

She groaned, muttering to herself as her patience ran thin.

Lana was known for her composure. Her patience was long, her demeanor calm, her expressions steady. Many often called her robot-like because of her unshakable straight face.

But it seemed that Raven's uncanny talent for getting under people's skin was far stronger than her patience.