"Tsk… he really is tough." Max mumbled as he shook the blood off of his hands.

The guy who had been tied onto the chair was unconscious with his eyes rolling over and turning white. His face and clothes were a mess, covered in blood.

Max looked at his phone, it had been quite a while and the Academy was long over, so much for Max's first day.

'It's 5 already?' Max looked at the time in surprise. He didn't realise it at all.

"I should go and give him a look, " Max muttered under his breath planning to visit Lear. The guy had even messaged him after all. If Max didn't go, he was sure to irritate him after he got discharged.

"Now, what should I do with you?" Max looked at the fellow on the chair who was still unconscious.

Max turned his head around a bit, searching for a place to hide him. He just couldn't leave him here, it would be a disaster if the guy woke up and managed to crawl to the window or make some noise.

"Only if I could put this fellow in the spirit world." Max thought. It would have been too nice. But alas, he couldn't. He couldn't bring any living things inside the spirit world, only Sera had that power.

Max thought for a bit before picking the guy and putting him in the closet. He then tied his hands and legs and put a tap on his mouth. Talk about old school.

'Why do I feel like a kidnapper?' Max thought inwardly but still proceeded with it.

"Come out." Max beckoned and the next instant, a purple-colored stream of energy flew out of his body taking the shape of a snake.

"Hiss!" The spirit snake hissed excitedly. It has been a while since it had been let out. It was tired of being the gang's playmate in the spirit world.

Max could feel the expectation in the creature's eyes. It had been craving for a battle.

Max forced a smile on his face as he said, "Next time, I will surely let you have fun. For now, just make sure that this guy doesn't leave the room. He is injured so I doubt he would even have that much more strength."

The spirit snake nodded with a bit of disappointment.

Max suddenly noticed that his room had become messy and this smell of blood was not that pleasing. He raised his hand a ball of water formed in mid-air.

Max then directed it towards the floor and slowly, the floor was wiped clean while the clean ball of water turned red and murky.

"Finally done…." Max smiled as he tossed out the ball of water through the window. His aim was perfect and it landed right in the garbage bin on the road.

…

Max walked downstairs and proceeded towards the main door when the telephone suddenly rang.

The ring stopped Max in his steps and he turned around in surprise. He didn't remember giving anyone the number of the telephone. He didn't even use it. Who could be calling?

Max moved towards the phone and picked it up, "Click!"

He didn't utter any word but waited for the person to speak. Max felt that it could be Aria who might have given the number out. In that case, it might be problematic if someone heard an unknown male's voice in her place.

"Hello…" A sweet and pleasant voice sounded through the other end.

Max recognized Aria's voice.

"Yes?" Max replied.

"Are you home?" Aria asked. Her voice was sounding low for some reason as if she was whispering.

"I am about to leave…" Max replied not knowing why she was asking it.

"When will you return?" Arias further asked.

"I won't, probably. I am staying out tonight…" Max said as he was planning to stay at the hospital. He was not sure what had happened with Lear, if needed, he would stay behind on guard. Might even use Lear as bait. There were several things he could be doing tonight.

"Great!" Aria replied in relief.

"What's so great about it?" Max asked in curiosity.

"Nothing...you can just leave…" Aria replied.

"Anyway, how are you?" Max asked.

"I am fine now…" Aria replied after a bit of pause.

"..."

And a silence suddenly ensued. Max didn't know what else to say.

"Did you-" Aria suddenly said but paused midway.

"What did I?" Max asked. He could hear some other unclear voice through the phone, it seemed someone had visited her.

"Click!"

The next instant, the phone was suddenly hung up.

Max kept the receiver back. Since she was busy, it was very less likely for her to call back anytime soon.

….

On the other side….

Aria suddenly hung up the phone as Lisa knocked on the toilet door.

"What are you taking so long for?" Lisa asked as with a frown. She seemed to have heard some whispers coming from inside.

"Nothing, I am done. Let's go." Aria replied with as she walked out with a smile.

Lisa looked at her strangely before following behind.

….

"You aren't going to take me with you?' Edward asked as he pretended to be sad.

"Only girls are allowed…" Janet replied with a smile.

"Well if he pays, we can let him stay a bit…" Lisa said as she walked towards them with Aria.

"It's my treat. You can join, Edward." Aria said with a smile.

"Well, I would have joined. But I am here for another friend. So another day, ladies." Edward said with a smile before bidding them farewell.

"Shall we go then?" Elly asked and Aria nodded.

…

Max finally arrived at the hospital. As he walked through the main gate and entered the building.

A car passed behind him and he failed to notice the familiar faces inside.

….

"Excuse me, Which floor is Room 207?" Max approached the receptionist for the answer.

As he was talking to the receptionist, Edward and Mark walked through the hallway and passed right behind him.

"Thank you…" Max said with a smile and turned around missing them by a few seconds.

It seemed they were still not meant to meet yet. Max had failed to contact Mark since he had lost his number on the previous phone.

As for the letter which he had sent, Max doubted whether it truly reached him or not.

….

"Creak!"

The door opened and Max entered the room to see Lora and Axel by Lear's side.

He had expected Axel but Lora's presence was indeed a surprise for him, a good one at that too.

"You are finally here and that too empty handed." Lear said with a scowl on his face.

"You should be grateful that people are even visiting you with this attitude of yours." Lora intervened and Lear's face twitched.

Max couldn't help but smile. Things were much better than he expected.

"How long are you going to be here? Wasn't that your mom? If you live in dorms, I bet it isn't every day that you can spend time with her." Lear looked towards Lora and spoke with a frown on his face.

Max listened to their conversation and was surprised. The true ruler of Roxley House was here.

'What could she be here for? Is it just for her daughter?' Max suddenly began to think. After all, a figure like that moving, it was something to think about.

Max looked at Lora and spoke as well, "You should leave. We are here."

It was starting to get dark. It might not be a good idea for her to stay out so long. If her mother really came here to spend time with her daughter, Max wouldn't want to intervene in her plans.

Lora looked at Lear and then Max before nodding as she got up, "I will be going then." She glanced at Lear and spoke further, "Take care."

"Go and see her out." Max said to Axel who frowned, but when he thought of Lora's identity, he just got up. He didn't want to offend anyone here.

….

Axel honestly was really curious, how did Max know these people? It seemed that the current Max was very different from the one he knew and it seemed there was something in between them now. He seemed to be hiding many things.

"You can go back, I have one of my House attendants here…" Lora suddenly said.

Axel looked at a man in his 40s waiting by the corridor and he nodded his head.

….

As they left, Max looked at Lear and the air around them changed.

"What's going on?" Max asked with a calm look in his eyes.

"There were four guys, a suicide squad most probably." Lear replied with a sigh.

"Dark Society again? Is it your Second brother?" Max asked, that was the most acceptable argument in this situation.

"I saw the Achilles House Crest on one of them." Lear replied with a frown. Even he found it hard to believe.

"It doesn't make sense…" Max said with scrunched brows. He looked at Lear again and asked, "Are you sure they weren't demons?"

"I am 100% sure they were not …" Lear replied with a serious look. There was no way that he couldn't differentiate that eerily aura from mana.

"Now that is something I haven't heard about," A voice suddenly entered Max's ear and the next instant the door opened as Axel walked in.

Max's eyes widened at his sudden arrival. Even though he was not in his full concentration mode, he still had his senses out. There was no way he couldn't sense Axel standing right behind the door.

At this moment, Max suddenly noticed the gleam on the wall and the floors of the room.

Formations…

Max looked at Lear, this guy must have been in the room. There was no way that he did not see Axel laying down the formations.

"He said it was for faster healing…" Lear said with an innocent look.