This World Can't Handle A Cultivating Bad-boy.

——♬♫♪♩

The night breeze blew past them as the four boys stood at the entrance of the new hall. The orchestra was divine, the waiters moved seamlessly and the chatter was highbrow.

"You sure about this, Aegon?" Eli said. His entire face still aching even after his healing had checked in.

A bruised gauge sat atop the ridge of his nose and his eyes still twitched at its corners.

He still couldn't believe that the same Aegon he'd been living with for months was capable of beating anyone to a pump.

But the evidence was all over his face.

"... Just follow my league." Aegon added before straightening his blazer and stepping into the party.

The chatter hit them like a tidal wave. Just as they entered the waiters came by with the flutes of champagne perfectly balanced on their trays.

Picking up the glass, Aegon stepped apart from the rest and made headway for Alex.

He gracefully slid between the cluster of money and finally spotted Alex on the corner, leaning next to a man he didn't know, but had a stern look on his face.

For context, this was Anthony Jackson—the director of valor, but Aegon didn't know it at the time.

He continued to approach them before the last person he wanted to see in the world, stepped in front of him.

"Nightwalker." Aegon said with raised brows but little surprise on his face. "What a nice surprise."

It wasn't either. He'd actually expected Nightwalker to be there, dressed in his elegant blue suit that did little to tame his form.

After all, how could a megalomaniac stay clear from a gala that's been the centre of attention of the Nation for months now.

"You sneaky bastard." Nightwalker cursed with a smile on his face. "I haven't forgotten about you attacking me," he placed a hand on Aegon's shoulder and his smile stretched into a smirk. "Let's just I'll handle you accordingly."

"Oh," Aegon returned his smile, without missing a beat. "I wouldn't expect anything less... Ian."

He cracked. But Aegon had no time for it, sliding Nightwalker's hand away from his shoulder like a smudge.

A few meters away from his target, someone else intercepts him. She crossed their arms and pushed him towards a free table.

Exuding poise in an elegant black and red dress. Her hair was impeccably styled and accented with ornaments and jewelry carefully chosen by their dressers.

Aegon couldn't help but be tongue-tied for a brief second as he sat down to her guidance. He shook his head. "Quinn, I'm kinda busy here."

"Those waiters aren't waiters." She said without missing a beat. She'd arrived earlier with the girls and immediately she used her God Trait, it revealed the actual value of them, although she didn't know who they were personally.

"What?" Aegon asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Realization hit her that she hadn't told anyone about her trait and if she wanted him to believe her, she'd have to tell him everything.

...

So she did.

Her lips movement at breakneck speed, his eyes widened slightly, trying to process the amount of data being dumped on his at once.

"..."

"...?"

She waited for his response as he hadn't squealed a word since she started speaking.

"I kinda already know this." He said finally.

Eli had already told him the part of the mercenary's part he knew, so, yeah. He knew the waiters weren't real waiters.

Quinn tilted back, blinking rapidly. "Are you with them?" She asked.

From her perspective, it wasn't out of the question. Aegon had been acting weird lately without any aired reason.

Yet, he was the one she came running to when things seemed off, why?

"What? No." Aegon answered. "It's just complicated." He added before getting up to leave. "But I'll handle it."

Suddenly, she grabbed him by the wrist, hard. He whipped his head back to her to see her fuming.

"I need you to tell me everything that's going on, Aegon." She said coldly. "All of you sneaking out at night, the meetings with the new principal, associating with the criminals... all of it. I need to know."

"..."

Everything on the table, she didn't tell him about his value being '???', and, while he told her about Eli's involvement with the mercenary group.

He failed to bring up the missions, the transmigration, the principal's deal, and most importantly... Her mother was alive and involved.

And so as the two liars say together, omitting truth and keeping one another in the dark, suddenly—

CLAP! CLAP!——

The orchestra was silenced, the chatter died, the waiters froze and flutes of champagne clinked subtly.

All eyes rose to Alex, who stood on the second floor of the room, with a sharp smile, an even sharper suit and a... Masquerade mask?

"Welcome, everyone." He started. "Welcome to Aetherion Academy's first ever awakened gala."

Ahh, yes. Awakened gala was what he called it in the invitations and the glorified bedazzled banner that hung gracefully above him.

CLAP!!!——

The respectful but discordant appulze finally settled. He continued.

"This gala isn't just for the drinks, the amazing food, the beautiful scenery and the wonderful views that are my students.

It is also a chance for you all—" he gestured around the hall. "—to get a good look at the upcoming heroes amongst us.

Heroes for both the public and private sectors, and of course we can't forget... Individual families.

"..."

"Hence," He raised his masquerade mask into the air. "A ballroom dance. One for the ages, where anyone has a two minute leeway to talk to anyone on the dancefloor... anonymous, of course."

As expected, whispers and murmured voices rose lowly began the guests but it didn't stop Alex from speaking.

"The waiter will now began sharing the masks—"

TCHK!——

He snapped his fingers and the waiters parried out with trays of neatly stacked masquerade masks atop.

"—this is all optional, of course. If you want to sit this one out, no one will blame you. But, I assure you it'd be a lot more fun if you joined in."

With that he proceeded back down where the workers were pushing the tables and stands to the side to make way for the dance.

...

With the centre free and the masks distribution accordingly.

——♬♫♪♩

It didn't take long for the center of the hall to be filled with nobles, elegantly moving through the dance floor in their masks. The anonymity was part of the charm.

"...."

Aegon stood at the edge of the festivities, arms crossed, tapping his fingers idly against his sleeve as he observed.

A lady was slowly approaching him, black hair, regal midnight blue dress, with a slit along the side that was scandalously high.

It hugged her perfectly, not in a provocative way but it surely teethered on the edge.

"Would you care to give this lady a dance?" The words rolled from her tongue in a way that sounded too seductive for the occasion.

He smiled, "I suppose I can't refuse."