♰
THE SUNDAY OFFERING ENDED, and everyone still couldn't stop talking about what happened at the atrium. Ever since the offering system was established, St. George Academy received the highest donation they have ever gotten today, which was a total of nine million. But at the same time, they also received the smallest donation ever, which was zero.
Max would never give money just to get merit points. He'd rather die than do something shameful, and that's the exact reason why the brotherhoods, especially the serfs, were proud of what he did. If Max offered millions of euros just to get merit points, it would have been a huge blow to the hard work the serfs have done so far.
"How many points do we already have?" Max asks while he's walking back to their dorm with the rest of the serfs.
"We have 43,000 accumulated points, but we still need a total of 7000 merit points before tomorrow's Tax Collection," Stefan answers with a worried look on his face. "I know we've trusted you through this entire process, Max, but I think we might not be able to accomplish this task after all."
"Stefan's right. We only have half a day left. The cleanest dorm only gets 2,000 merit points, which is still not enough. The serfs have also taken all the small jobs they can get. There's not much time to collect more, especially on a Sunday," Xander explains further.
"Would you have wanted me to donate thirteen million euros then?" Max asks, immediately making Xander and Stefan stop walking to shake their heads in disagreement, Keigo and Vesper stopping as well to listen to the conversation.
"No, that's not what we meant," Stefan defends. "What we meant is...maybe this is enough? We got 43,000 points. This is the highest we have ever gotten...ever. We have worked as a division for the first time, and the serfs have already expressed that they don't mind if we don't get 50,000 points. We didn't technically lose. We have already proven ourselves. We've proven that students like us can keep up too. Whatever the punishment is, we'll be ready."
Max was about to say something, but Keigo stopped him. He stood in front of the two serfs and faced them for Max's sake. "Is this what you want? We've done everything up to this point, and you just want to give up midway? I thought you guys were better than this?"
"Kawanishi Keigo, pardon me, but if you think they've given up, then you don't understand their side either," Vesper interrupts, his hands inside his pockets as he walks closer to them. "The fact that they're all prepared for what might happen in tomorrow's Tax Collection is a sign of strength. It means they're not scared of it anymore. And believe me, they've always been scared."
Stefan and Xander were surprised that Vesper, out of all people, would suddenly stand up for them, while Keigo was also surprised because he didn't see what they were trying to say from that perspective.
"The Tax Collectors will take someone for punishment if the tax isn't paid. The serfs have collectively agreed that we'll take it...as long as they don't punish you two," Stefan then reveals, surprising Keigo even more.
"If you think I'm gonna let you guys sacrifice yourselves like that, then you haven't understood my ways one bit," Max suddenly says as he starts walking again, immediately making the other four follow behind him. "There's still a chance. I believe our handwork will bear fruit when the time comes, but I also agree with Xander and Stefan. If we can't get 50,000 merit points at the end of the day, it doesn't mean we failed. As they said, we have proven ourselves and our worth. And that is something we should not be ashamed of. The fact that they'll still punish us despite the handwork we've put in is more embarrassing to them than it is to us."
Max paused again, and then he took a deep breath before looking back at his friends. "Besides, we still have another trick up our sleeves."
The grin on Max's face made Xander, Stefan, Vesper, and Keigo look at each other before grinning as well. Like what Max said, they still had another plan that would surely catch everyone's attention, so after eating breakfast at their respective dorms and after the serfs congratulated Max for making the gaffers offer that large amount of money for nothing, everyone went to the Garden of Eden for this month's dorm inspection.
"Is everything ready?" Max whispered as he and his friends arrived at the garden where the other divisions were waiting.
Xander nodded his head, and the Serfs Division finally went to their area. As soon as they arrived, a bunch of gaffers walked in front of them. Specifically, the gaffers who offered millions of euros during the Sunday Offering earlier.
"Where the fuck is Sinclaire?" One of the gaffers asked, instantly making the other white uniforms stop whatever they were doing to watch the scene.
"Is there a problem here?" Vesper asks, walking towards the gaffers like the guard that he was.
"What? Just because you're backing him up like you're his bitch, he's gonna act high and mighty?" Another gaffer fired back, making Vesper laugh.
"Watch your tongue, kid. I follow whoever I want to follow. But don't make any mistakes. Even without me, that heir can beat you up before you could even notice it," Vesper threatened.
The gaffers looked pissed, but before the white uniforms could say anything to retaliate, Max took a deep breath and pulled Vesper aside so he could face them head-on. "Is there a problem here?" he asked, looking straight at the gaffers without any hint of fear. If they're gonna start a fight because of what happened earlier, Max isn't gonna let them run their mouth that easily.
"Is this because of the offering? Why? Did you spend too much? If you're this fired up, then that means twelve million was actually a big deal. You guys should have told me," Max sarcastically stated, making the other students' mouths drop while Vesper, Xander, Stefan, and Keigo tried their best not to laugh.
"Do you want me to give you the same amount? I can easily transfer the money. I usually get fifteen million for my weekly allowance, so I'll still have extra. There's nothing for you to worry about," Max jokingly says this time. The gaffer in the middle got so angry that he almost grabbed Max's collar in complete anger. Thankfully, a white uniform arrived to stop him. It was none other than Mr. Brains & Brawn's 1st runner-up, Tsukumo Asahi.
"I suggest we don't cause unnecessary fights here, especially with all these people around," Asahi stated while tightly holding onto the gaffer's wrist. When he saw who it was, he immediately pulled his hand away and walked off with the rest of the gaffers without a fight.
Max sighed in relief, and then he turned to look at Asahi and smiled at him. "Thanks for intervening. I wouldn't have been able to fight back if they started throwing punches."
"Believe me, most of them don't know how to fight, so you're safe," Asahi answered, reaching out so he and Max could bump their fists, showing their close relationship with each other.
Xander and Stefan, on the other hand, respectfully touched their chest to show respect to the higher-year, while Keigo, the pageant enthusiast that he is, immediately stood beside Max and waved at the gaffer. "Hi, Asahi. I don't know if you remember me, but I'm—"
"How can I forget about the guy who brought us to Japan just to eat ramen?" Asahi cuts off, instantly making Keigo fanboy again. This was exactly like the time he and Max went to see Li Gengxin in his school during PHD's trials.
"Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing who will get the cleanest dorm this month. Best of luck to you and your division, Max," Asahi says, bowing his head to Max's friends as well before walking away.
As soon as he was gone, Xander took a deep breath and touched his chest like someone shot him. "Damn, that was the first time I've gotten that close to Tsukumo Asahi. He really is a beautiful guy. I honestly got star-struck."
"Right?! He should have definitely won the beauty portion. No hate to Kingston Creed, of course," Keigo excitedly says, making Max chuckle again.
While everyone was just casually talking to each other, the inspectors finally arrived at the garden, making everyone stand in line with their division so they could get ready.
"Good morning, divisions. We are gathered here today for your dorm's inspection. I have a handful of men with me, and all of them will enter your dorms to check their cleanliness and orderliness. There is also a checklist, and the perfect score is 100. The dorm with the highest score will receive 2,000 points. Now, let's begin," the inspector said as the others entered the Hell Sanctum, the Purgatory Refuge, and the Paradise Cove at the same time.
The inspectors who entered the serfs' dormitory wore gloves and protective suits, preparing for the worst since their dorm has always been a mess. But when they started the inspection, everyone was surprised to see how clean it all was. One of the inspectors even double-checked if they were in the right dormitory or not.
"I think we have a chance," Stefan says while waiting, making the other serfs hopeful too. Max was smiling as well, but he knew deep down that nothing was certain yet. The system in St. George Academy is definitely in favor of the gaffers. Even if the serfs get a perfect score in this, it's unlikely that they'll be declared the winner and receive the points.
"Look how confident they look," someone from the gaffers suddenly said, making sure Max and the other white uniforms would be able to overhear him.
"They seriously think they'll win."
"And even if we did lose, I'd rather have the dwellers beat us. Those serfs don't deserve the points just because they decided to start cleaning up after all those years. We've worked harder than them," another gaffer states, making the others agree.
Someone from the serfs wanted to say something back, angry because the reason why their dorm was always a mess was because the higher ranks consistently trashed it, but Max stopped them. "We'll have our time," he said, so the serf backed away and waited for their moment like what Max told them to.
After a couple of minutes, Max checked his watch, and then he and Xander looked at each other before nodding their heads, signaling that it was finally time.
Max takes a deep breath and adjusts the brooches on his collar before suddenly walking in front of the white uniforms, the three dorms just right behind him while the inspectors continued their assessment. The white uniforms were surprised to see Max standing in front of them, but before anyone could say anything, Max opened his mouth and started his unexpected speech.
"Students of St. George Academy!" Max shouted, instantly grabbing everyone's attention. Even the Saints, who were at their own dormitory, looked out of their window to see what was happening.
"Six days ago, I arrived at your house as one of the representatives from J.S High. I admit that I kept my expectations low, but despite that, you were still able to surprise me," Max says, making the others furrow their brows, confused as to why Max was saying these things all of a sudden.
"I have been beaten and humiliated here, but that didn't really bother me the slightest. What bothered me the most was the unfair treatment the lower-ranking white uniforms got here. The system punishes the serfs and the gaffers, yet it does not give them the right opportunities to rank up. Worse of all, money is a factor in one's ability to gain points, which others do not have the luxury to do. For the first time ever, I was ashamed to have St. George Academy as a brotherhood house," Max then declares, instantly making everyone react to the truthful words that others were too afraid to say out loud.
The serfs and the dwellers couldn't help but look at Max with admiration, while the gaffers looked pissed. Someone from the Saints even wanted to intervene, but thankfully, President Justice stopped him, letting Max finish whatever he was trying to prove.
"As you all know, tomorrow is the day when the Exchange Program will officially start. For the past week, I have been observing everyone, learning your ways, and experiencing the lives of the students here. I have been quiet most of the time, and I have not fought back because I waited for the right moment," Max continues as he starts walking closer to the white uniforms who unconsciously started moving away from him too, his presence overwhelming them as the look on Max's face becomes more serious.
At the same time, the members of PHD were heading out of their dormitory. They saw the students gathering in the garden and decided to stop for a while to see the commotion.
"What's going on?" Blade asks while sipping from his juice box.
"I think it's their dorm inspection. The cleanest will get points," Killshot answers as the members of PHD, who were at the far back, walked closer to see better.
"Wait, is that Sinclaire standing in front of them?" Adachi Ren of Pretty Duo then points out, surprising the rest of the lords.
"I was given a task as a representative of the great House of Kings. And like those inspectors behind us, I am here to assess you, St. George Academy. Unfortunately, in this inspection, you have all failed."
For the past week, Max has been following the crowd and going with the flow. He's been letting everyone push him around, but it's time he puts his mask down. It's time they realize why he was chosen to be here and why he wears the brooches of four strong brotherhoods on his collar.
"It's disappointing to have you as the second strongest house, but you all shouldn't give up just yet. Because starting tomorrow, I'm gonna show you what it feels like to be ruled by kings," Max says, a grin slowly appearing on his face, which was enough to make the other students gulp.
"Now, before I end my speech, I have a humbling gift from our very own house, J.S High. It's a gift that's been passed down from one student to another. And it's a gift that I hope you all will remember for the rest of your lives," Max says, suddenly touching his chest before bowing deeply in front of the unsuspecting crowd.
"Whatever happens in St. George Academy...stays in St. George Academy."
After Max recited those exact words, everything became completely quiet to the point where the students could almost hear ringing in their ears. But after that painful silence, a click was heard. And in that very moment, the grounds shook as an explosion echoed throughout the campus.
...
The serfs were celebrating at the cafeteria after successfully receiving the 2000 merit points from the inspection earlier. After Max's speech, the paint bombs that Xander created were finally set off, making the gaffers' dorm shower in red paint. The white uniforms started protesting after the incident, and the Saints finally intervened. As expected, they blamed Max for such a stunt, but Max only asked one question that secured their victory.
"Where's your proof?"
Since no one could provide any proof that it was Max or the Serfs' Division's doing, the case was immediately closed, and now the gaffers were ironically left to clean their own dorm this time.
But other than trashing the gaffer's division, what really surprised them was the explosion that also happened inside the Dwellers Division's dormitory. The serfs only planned to trash Paradise Cove, so they weren't expecting Purgatory Refuge to get involved as well. They didn't know that a certain white uniform used his connections and made sure they would definitely get those points no matter what.
"There you are," Keigo says as he arrives at the balcony on the top floor, where he finds Max smoking CJ's cigarette. "I thought you stopped using that," he then adds as he stands beside his dear friend.
Max exhales the red smoke from his mouth and turns to look at Keigo. "I'm trying, but whenever I'm alone with my thoughts, I end up wanting to use it. And besides, Vesper offered my favorite brand, so I couldn't refuse."
"That sleepy-head is seriously a bad influence," Keigo then says, making Max chuckle before inhaling the smoke from the cigarette again.
"By the way, the guys are looking for you downstairs. Everyone's celebrating our success, but the main celebrant isn't even there with them," Keigo says next as Max stares at the white uniforms that were cleaning their dorm after that red paint explosion. That was their payment for always trashing the serfs' dorms in the past.
"This is their moment now. The reason why they got those points is because of their hard work and effort. To be honest, I haven't even earned a single point since I got here, so the credit is really theirs," Max honestly says before exhaling the cigarette smoke for the second time.
"There you go again, acting all humble. But I guess that's what I like about you," Keigo casually blurts out. But when he realized what he said, his face immediately turned red in embarrassment. "I didn't mean that in a weird way, okay? I meant admiration with respect. Not...you know...like that."
Max laughed at Keigo's reaction, but then he reached out to pat Keigo's head like he always does with Felix. "Then I thank you for your admiration...with respect. As there as being here for me as an emotional support. You don't know how glad I am to have you here."
This was the perfect moment to blush or be flustered, but Keigo felt grateful instead. He couldn't be happier to have a friend like Max, so he smiled at him and thanked him too.
"A-anyway, I'm glad you were able to send a message to Nicolás Vega at the Dwellers Division. Thanks to him, we were able to place the paint bombs in their dorm, too."
"Yeah, it's really thanks to him and Asahi. But I haven't thanked either of them yet since I'm afraid others would find out they had something to do with it. For now, I'm keeping a distance," Max explains, looking at the white uniforms downstairs again. "Besides, we still need to worry about the five thousand points that are still missing. The serfs already made their resolve, but it would be very thrilling if we actually got 50,000 MP by tomorrow."
"Well, we'll need an actual miracle if we want that to happen."
"I know," Max says with a chuckle, now looking at the horizon in front of them. "By the way, Keigo, have you worked on the task I gave you? About the Archbishop?"
"Well, actually, I was going to—"
"Max!" Someone suddenly shouts, making Keigo and Max turn around to see Xander running towards them, catching his breath because he ran his way there. "Someone's downstairs looking for you."
"What? Who?"
"A prince!"
Max's eyes widened in shock as he and Keigo looked at each other, unsure of who it may be. Without wasting any time, Max threw his cigarette away, and the two of them ran to the cafeteria to look for the person that Xander was referring to.
The cafeteria was completely silent when they got there. Max wasn't expecting anyone, but when he saw a man wearing a familiar black uniform standing in the middle of the crowd, his heart dropped. For a second, he was confused, but after a while, the brightest smile appeared on his face when the supposed prince turned around to face him.
"I came to fetch you...little brother."
- END -