A Story of Evil

Before Julia's appearance in the arena, she was first in the manor of her household. The same day after her plan of assaulting the members of Shadow failed, the number one summoner of the Academy went to her father in order to ask for his help.

"Father! I need something." She began, storming within her father's, Julius's, study.

"What is it child? Tell me."

"It's for the school, I need you to give me some of our fighters in the underground arena." Was Julia's straightforward request. So straightforward in fact that, her father slammed his table.

"Are you mad? Do you know what would happen if we get exposed?" Julius said.

The underground arena is something hidden from the general public. It is the primary source of income for Julia's family which, has continued growing throughout the years with all of the nobles who go there to play. 

This is a place so secretive that, the officials have never tracked it down. A major reason for this is because, the location of the fights always change. The other one is that, even officials from the queen's courts also take part in this.

That's why it was so important for Julius to keep everything about it hidden. Because one small evidence will lead to a trail being found. However, Julia didn't come to her father unprepared. She knew how to deal with him and, the situation itself.

"We won't get caught father. If we pay the headmistress enough to keep her mouth shut, nothing will happen to us. Weren't you the one who told me that money can buy anything?" 

"Ahhh I have really raised you well haven't I?" Her father said, showing a wide grin on his face as he said:

"Fine then get as many of them as you need."

"Thank you father!" Julia immediately hugged Julius. Admittedly, her father had a soft spot for her. One which was abused by the girl who grew to be the most spoiled brat.

"Oh and, can you contact the parents of both Luz and Olivia?"

"Why child?"

"Well, they would share in the payment for the fighters of course."

"You silly little...you even have payments planned for the fighters?"

"Of course I did father! I won't be your daughter otherwise."

"Very well then."

This is the reason why Julia, Luz and Olivia were all absent from the school that morning. They were actually arranging all the necessary paperwork in order to turn the fighters into students of the school. This came speedily because, Julia simply paid for the process to be finished quicker.

As for the reason why they have been enrolled, Julia was supposed to use them in order to attack Sol's team. They needed to do so in order to make Lumina stay away from the Shadow Unit. However, their plan was immediately changed because of the tournament that was set up that very day. An event which Julia thought to be perfect in order to corner the Shadow unit into recruiting them.

There wasn't much thought placed into this. Julia simply decided to go with this decision because, they were told by the staff that this arrangement was made between Sol and the Headmistress in order to allow Shadow to continue their picking of students without any disturbance. A bet which, if won, would completely erase her chances of joining Shadow.

Thus, everything led to that moment. With Sol facing Julia who declared the two fights to continue.

"I don't mind but, could you wait a minute?" Sol said, not even hesitating to continue the battle. Exciting Julia who knew that victory was already secured.

"Fine! Just tell us when you want to begin." Julia replied, proceeding to the other side of the arena along with her allies.

Sol used his analysis on the said transfer students. Just by doing so, he knew that they are insanely powerful individuals as, all of them had summons which requires more mana than what their bodies had. Meaning, their own life was on the line whenever they made a summon. And this doesn't only apply to their ultimate summon but rather, is one that applies to all their summons. 

This is why Sol needed to go back and think about what he needed to do. The plans he had for the remainder of the fight would only work for enemies which they had a chance of defeating. These weren't made for summons which are all at Ultimate Skill in ranking. Ones which could easily overpower all the plans which he already had.

However, as soon as he returned to his team, he got nothing but the questioning look of his allies.

"Sol why did you accept her provocation?"

"Because, we can't let things continue like this." He said.

"What do you mean?"

"Like it or not, the effects we've created will be reversed if we end things here. We've won the battle but if we retreat then we'll lose the war." Sol said, explaining further as he added:

"I already provoked the headmistress into accepting the remainder of the fights. If I say that we're finished, then she would simply use my own argument against me which, would lead us to the same scenario. It's better that I accepted it because anything else other than that will only place us in a bad spot."

"But those aren't normal summoners." Alice said. With the whole Shadow Unit knowing that her words didn't come from a hunch. It came from her [Danger Sense] which assessed the current enemies.

"Yeah. My [Living Flames] also tell me the same Sol. Those guys aren't your run of the mill kind of summoners." Jade added.

It wasn't like Sol didn't have a countermeasure figured out. But the plans he had in mind might also jeopardize the lives of the students. Something which he didn't like to do.

Besides, these same students aren't even battle hardened. They are not used to facing dangerous threats head on. Making things that much more difficult. That's why, the one who spoke next eased a lot of Sol's burdens. 

"I'll do it." Lumina said, surprising everyone in the room. 

"What?" Nathan asked, thinking that he only heard wrong.

"They've brought in extra people so, we're allowed to do the same right?" Lumina said.

"Didn't you hear what we just said?" Jade asked.

"Yeah. Besides, we don't even know what your summons are. They aren't even recorded in the Academy's information." Was the comment Nathan added.

It was true, no matter how much they looked for it, there was no record on Lumina's summons. Her name and other information were on the data provided to them but, her summons had [Restricted] placed on it. Of course they already asked this; thrice in fact. But Lumina never answered them, not even once.

Even Sol didn't get any information on her relatives from the Archives. Because as far as he was concerned, there was no blood relation between her and the queen. Not after hearing Lumina's story at least.

Hence she was a blank. A canvass without any painting or, a book without any text. Nothing about her summons is known by the group and, all that they were sure of was that, the other students are wary of her prescience. But that alone is not enough of a reason for them to send her out because, both Alice and Jade never sensed any danger coming from her.

Even in that moment when she wanted to fight, they could sense nothing. She was still a blank, without an ounce of hostility at that.

"Why don't you tell us what your summoned creatures are? That way we can form a team composition that would fit your fighting style." Sol suggested.

"There's no need for that." Was Lumina's reply, surprising the team even more.

"What are you saying? You're gonna fight out there all by yourself?" Alice said these words as if it was the craziest idea that a person could come up with. But Lumina wasn't fazed, nor was she nervous. And she answered Alice's question with a simple:

"Yes."

"That's basically suicide!" Hendrickson added.

"What are you thinking Lumina!" Nathan commented.

But Lumina just sighed as she said: "You can ask the students here if I'm gonna kill myself."

The Shadow members looked at the students who were there at the moment. All looking nervous from suddenly having to get interrogated.

"L-Lady Lumina is strong. You don't need to worry about her."

"Are you saying that because she's threatening you or, are you genuinely saying that she's strong?" Jade asked.

Meanwhile, Sol was just watching everything from a third person's perspective. Thinking of all the variables and, all the clues no matter how small. With this he approached Lumina, asking one last time:

"Are you sure about this?" The girl simply smiled at him. A confident one at that as she declared:

"You're fighting for these students to be treated fairly in the Academy. I don't see any reason for me, the daughter of the queen, to step down on such a noble cause."

"Suit yourself."

"Sol!" Alice said, not approving of the male paladin's idea.

"Lumina is a reasonable person. She wouldn't go out just because she feels like it. All we need to do is put our trust in her and, I'm sure she'll reciprocate this."

"Thank you everyone." Lumina said, taking a bow.

"Ahhh whatever. If you want to show off in hell then be my guest." Alice commented. Actually concerned for the girl and, not wanting her to get in harm's way. But Lumina assured all of them that everything was okay, stepping out of their pit as she said:

"I'm not the one you should be worried about."