"I'm not asking you because you might be his friend. I'm asking you because you are the cause of his disappearance, aren't you?" Erica slammed her hand on his table.
She then gave a confident glance to the people around Jasper.
Sophie and the others of Liam's friend group went pale. Although the boys weren't there, they were made aware of what happened. Thus, their hearts simultaneously raced thinking that they have offended someone from the United Ancestry - the United fucking Ancestry!
The whole world wouldn't bat an eye if their severed heads were to be paraded tomorrow if it were the United Ancestry's decision. The Ancestor is akin to a god in this world. Whatever he says is absolute, and the United Ancestry is under him.
"..."
Jasper, in Liam's appearance, closed his eyes while showing a heavy expression.
Internally, however, he was laughing.
'What the hell! That gave me a scare! I thought she was out to get me, but it seems that she's actually out to get Liam,' he thought, 'But her motive is still unknown. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.'
"I'm sorry, but where did you hear that rumor?"
"Rumor? It's a testament from your previous schoolmates."
Jasper then looked at Sophie and the rest. In response, they vehemently shook their heads.
"Not them but a gang of delinquents."
'Fucking Dereck!' Jasper immediately knew who Erica was talking about.
Erica gave a sharp glare when she mistakenly took Jasper's troubled look as a sign of guilt. But before she could speak on this, Jasper asked a question.
"May I ask who this non-cultivator is to Miss Erica?"
Jasper have never met this woman before. He couldn't think of any reason why she would want to pursue his supposed killer and make trouble for him.
"No one. Only heard of him."
Erica continued to go against Jasper's expectations, making his mind go blank.
"Then-"
"I don't like injustice," Erica stared at Jasper's eyes before turning to the audience to take their attention, "Listen! We are all aware of how ordinary people are treated. The majority may turn a blind eye to it, but not me!"
Her voice reverberated not only in this classroom but the whole building. This is the power of Qi.
"As long as I'm here, ordinary people will be treated the same as cultivators. There will be no pointless discrimination. If you have a problem with that-" Erica didn't need to continue and only sneered, aware that only a madman would go against her words, the United Ancestry's words, "That's all!"
She turned back Jasper.
"Once I've confirmed you've killed Jasper Langford, you'd better run."
Erica punched her palm, creating an explosion that made everyone's ears ring like they had been hit by a flashbang. This is not just the power of an ordinary Qi Refinement Cultivator but a prodigy one.
Leaving everyone silent in fear and awe, Erica left and returned to her classroom.
There was a brief silence before the students created noise again.
"That was nuts!"
"Holy shit! That power! She can contend with Qi Refinement Cultivators at the middle stages. What is this? Are we even at the same age?"
"From this point on, I will treat ordinary people with respect!"
"I-I love her, she's awesome! I'm her number one fan from now on!"
"No, I am!"
"No, I am!"
"Exploding Fist Technique!"
They didn't mind Erica's ruthlessness. Instead, they were charmed by it.
As for her announcement, they didn't care that much. Most cultivators just ignored ordinary people anyway. Few actively try to bully them.
While the scene was lively, Liam's friend group seemed like they were at a loved one's funeral.
They awkwardly stood there as their hands and knees shook.
"L-liam…"
Sophie grabbed Liam's shoulder.
When she spoke, the classroom eventually went quiet. Sophie herself looked around with a grim expression.
It was a creepy sight. Everyone was looking at them as if they were dead.
"Daring to kill an ordinary person?"
"Hehe, they deserved it."
"That guy must've thought he was so tough."
"Tough? Only weak and pathetic people punch down. They are insecure, so they take it on weaker people."
"That poor non-cultivator… tsk tsk."
In return, Jasper glared back at them, to which they turned their heads away.
"Liam…" Sophie called again. Her voice cracked, and she was about to cry.
"Fucking bitch! Stop whining!" Jasper snapped back.
"Uwummm…" Sophie retreated.
'I think I should audition to become an actor.' Jasper thought, looking at the blonde silently weeping.
He reacted that way because he knew that's how Liam would've reacted. Liam is short-tempered and when treated with disrespect, he would burst out in anger. He's confident his acting is on spot because of how the rest of Liam's friends stayed silent, not questioning his behavior.
Behind the angry mask, Jasper was in deep thought.
'That was her motive? It's just because she's an ally of justice?'
It was weird and too much of a coincidence and convenience.
Shortly after, the morning ceremony commenced. No faculty members mentioned the commotion this morning. Not only that, but the principal even invited Erica to give a speech.
The principal looked at Erica as if she were his own daughter. This was the first time a prodigy from the United Ancestry attended some backwater public high school far from the Central Cities. Thus, nobody could blame the principal.
After Erica gave a speech, some students even cried.
"My queen!"
Jasper looked at the newly-made fans with weird glances.
The morning ceremony ended, and classes have begun. The weird atmosphere didn't disappear. Even the teacher looked at 'Liam' and his group with an eerie expression.
"You can call me Sir Evan, and I'll be your homeroom teacher for the next three years."
The male teacher, Sir Evan, made a short introduction and changed the class seating. The non-cultivators were placed in front of the teacher's desk. There were only three of them in the room of thirty or so cultivators.
Brukmere Public High didn't design a single classroom for non-cultivators. Some say that it's to avoid having the non-cultivators have the power of unity and strength. However, those are just rumors.
What's true is that non-cultivators aren't taken care of. They are on their own to survive this school of essentially cultivators.
However, it seems that starting today, that would no longer be the case.
Meanwhile, Jasper and Liam's friends were seated, separated from each other. There was nothing they could do about it. However, this treatment continued until breaktime.
Non-cultivators received free meals while Jasper and Liam's group of friends were specifically denied to be given food, even if they had the money. Along with these, they received endless disdain and animosity from other students and teachers alike.
Eventually, unable to withstand the pressure, Liam's friends began to separate themselves from Jasper. During lunch, it was only him and Sophie. Not that they have anything to eat.
The original Liam is at the Third Stage Body Tempering Realm, and Sophie is at the second stage. They could withstand not eating for days before they could feel the weakness from not eating.
Meanwhile, Jasper himself is at a different level. Even if he doesn't eat for a whole month, he would still not feel hungry.
However, that doesn't mean he wasn't annoyed. Not being hungry is different from not being able to eat even if he wanted to and that's what pissed him off so much.
'Erica… I know you're angry at Liam, so I'll ignore this.'
Nobody went near Jasper and Sophie, so they were alone on the rooftop. Once there, Jasper took out a mealbox from his bag and gave the second one to the depressed Sophie.
She was so depressed, she wasn't even pushing her chest on him like usual, so it made Jasper depressed as well. That's why he wanted to cheer her up.
Sophie was sitting on the floor and hugging her knees with a dazed look when Jasper offered the meal box.
"?"
"Here."
"W-where'd you get this?"
Jasper didn't reply. He had a rich slave in this school. How could he not ask her for food? Furthermore, the food this rich slave could provide is far better than what the cafeteria of this school could provide.
Sophie, on the other hand, just stared at the offered meal.
"You don't want it?"
"Sorry?"
"I already have one. This one is for you."
"Really? For me?" Sophie looked at Jasper in disbelief.
"Why are you so shocked?"
"Um… i-it's just the first time you gave me something."
Sophie received the meal box with her head lowered. She looked at it as if she were staring at a treasure.
Jasper heard that Liam treats Sophie well. At least accordingly to Liam.
'Oh no. I didn't know Liam is this ignorant and such a prick.'
Jasper acted out of place as Liam. Although they can dismiss this one unusual action, it may plant a seed of doubt within this woman's head. That seed will grow and grow as time passes, and that's why Jasper has to provide a reason why he was so generous today.
"Sophie," Jasper looked into her eyes, "I appreciate you sticking with me."
"Huh…?"
Sophie's eyes widened and glittered. She looked away as her cheeks flushed red.
'Liam appreciates me!?'
She now thinks that her decision to stay by his side is worth it!
Jasper used today's weird situation as a reason for his 'out of character'. It is true that under the pressure, all of their friends left Liam. All except Sophie.
It wouldn't be out of character for 'Liam' to have his eyes open and finally start appreciating this woman who is always by his side. That would make his behavior today reasonable!
'But damn, Liam, you jerk! How could you ignore this pretty and loyal girl!' Jasper cursed Liam as he thought of Sophie's boobs.
"Thank you, Liam…" Sophie couldn't restrain a giggle.
She forgot that she had asked him where he got this meal. For now, she was on cloud nine.
'It's kind of unfair that Liam got the handsome points rather than me.'
Jasper internally sighed.