Chains Of Pride

The entire academy was still in an uproar, everywhere, talks could be heard about the fights they saw in the Engage sequence.

The hottest topic was the fight between Captain Magenai and the Ace, Setamaru Lanzo. Their battle has left a deep impression in everyone's mind.

However, there was a place where only silence reigned. Kia, Lanzo and Gero were back in the mansion. They stared intently at Shepherd Hide who was scrutinising them with quite the intense gaze himself. After a while, he leaned back in his chair before letting out a long, drawn-out sigh.

"You know, when we first spoke, I thought you were all either returning or seeking the origin. I didn't even try to sense your current conditions, a huge blunder on my part. I honestly have no idea why you three are the way you are. Why all three of you are here at the same time, but you're here, and that's all that matters." His expression didn't change, as impassive as ever.

"So go ahead, ask your questions, but when you're done, I'll have my own question." He finally finished up to here and waited.

They could guess what he wanted to ask, however, no one spoke up for some time, they were organising their thoughts. What should they request to know first?

Lanzo who had removed God's Code and left it on the hangar outside, took the initiative to pose the first question, "That guy we killed, what do we do?"

Shepherd Hide's brow shot up when he heard that, "What do you do? That's your question? What do you mean? Are you asking if there is any fallout from that, are you asking what'll happen to you? Ask a question that makes sense, I don't like wasting time."

Takeshi knew why they were like this, they had just killed a man, yet they were calm. Such a feeling was even stranger than the ones who suffered psychological trauma.

"Why are we fine?" This question came Gero, it was calm, cool and collected.

Takeshi nodded in acceptance when he heard this question, "All Taliums are beings whose brains and minds have broken through the shackles shared by the masses. Even if you don't realise it, normal trauma that would break a person is near inconsequential to you."

He expounded on it only a little as he said, "This is why the taunts of the commonality, provided that they don't go too far, barely affect you, if at all. You inherently look down upon them, and what lion concerns itself with the opinions of the sheep?"

Gero frowned when he heard this, "So what, you want us to feel superior to everyone else simply because of what we are, like the kings and nobles of old? No thanks!"

The Shepherd focused his attention on Gero for a moment before he asked, "If you don't know who is a sheep from who is a fellow lion, then you can leave right now."

This might sound simple, but it had a profound meaning. Basically, one doesn't have to be a Talium to be a lion, however, if those who resort to underhanded means to achieve their goals isn't a sheep, then who is. In short, keep your head high, and you will see those who do the same. It is they who you pay attention to.

All three boys evinced nods of agreement to show that they understand. You don't need to look down on every normal human, by this logic, even some Taliums can be considered sheep as well.

Kia looked towards the stone-faced man and ask, with a hint of worry, "What's the fallout that we can expect from the meerkat's death?"

When Kia asked this question, he just wanted to know if the Academy would eventually find out and punish them for it, even have them imprisoned. Never did he expect that the next words out of the Shepherd would apprise them of such a horror.

"Well, the fool that you three killed, is but a fly in the grand scheme of things. However, the group that he is a part of…not so much. He is a part of a group known as Azure Sky, they are a group of Taliums much like ourselves, but they are not…amiable."

He collected his thoughts after he said this before he chose to continue, "Their goal is shrouded in mystery. However, they have openly gone against our organisation time and time again, so they are viewed as enemies. They recruit strong Taliums under their umbrella, and the one you killed was definitely one of them."

"Based on his strength, he is not important; however, you three are, and when he died, Azure Sky is now aware that you exist, and that, is dangerous."

"What are we?" This time Lanzo asked the biggest question here.

"I-I don't know, I could easily have said Talium before, but it feels like you are all so much more." Takeshi sighed when he said this.

"Wait, if the group he is a part of, knows about us, then doesn't that mean we're sitting ducks here?" Kia fired off another question to clear up all the doubts in his mind.

The Shepherd nodded his head when he heard this, "They won't make a move to come here easily. This Academy runs a lot deeper than you all think. However, if you have any loved ones you care for, that could be a problem."

"What do you mean?" Gero's eyes narrowed at this point. He didn't have a lot of people that he...cared for, but for the little that he did. He would do anything to protect.

"I mean exactly what I said, you're not stupid, so you can put two and two together. Now we're going to come back full circle on this. I only ask you one last time, do you dare to come with me, so I can allow you to discover yourselves, and to make sure this discovery does this world good and nothing else?"

Takeshi paused here, he espied Vizio who had arrived some time ago. She stood concealed within the shadows that dotted the insides, an indication that the sun was beginning its daily retreat.

She watched the three kids as they struggled with this choice. She bit her lips cutely as if she was thinking of something, and after a moment of hesitation, she stepped out of the shadows that concealed her and made her way to Takeshi's side.

"W-Who are you?" Lanzo asked, a bit surprised that someone was able to appear out of nowhere. Anyone would be shocked at that, especially if it were one as breathtakingly gorgeous as Vizio

She only smirked at his question, "Don't worry about that, just know this. I am from the organisation that this fool doesn't want you to join. I can tell you this much, if he says that he'll be taking you under his wings, it's the best chance you have to retain your complete freedom, especially since Azure Sky knows of you."

"They know about us? You're sure?" Gero asked for clarity, his anxiousness barely under his control.

"Oh yeah, they know, when I disposed of the body, I found a device attached to the corpse that allowed for the feedback of information. I already destroyed it, but its purpose has already been achieved, so you're all in danger at the moment." She shrugged as she spoke as if this was a regular matter.

"So you're saying it would do good to join him then? Then tell me, how can I know that those who I care for would be safe simply by joining him?" Gero asked deadpan, not breaking his gaze with the beauty before him.

She smiled when she saw that Gero was not moved by her allure, "He is not as simple as you think, though he may not want you to join the organisation. The strings he can pull in there is not something just anyone can compare to."

When all three boys heard this, their brow furrowed as they contemplated once again. Not long after, they all released a drawn-out breath.

They took one look at each other and nodded before staring back at the man before them and did the same.

They would follow this man, to protect who they will protect, and to know the truth of their nature and why even among the unusual, they were even more so.

Clap!

"Good choice!" the hands of the austere Shepherd came together to shock them into paying attention to him. "Go home, rest, take it easy. We will reconvene in two days, we allow you to tell one person about our existence and your situation. However, should they reveal it, there will be consequences, so be careful."

He looked at them for a while before tactlessly saying, "Okay, you can go now. Oh yeah, Kia, your situation is different, so we'll need to talk one on one beforehand, I will only say 'dragon' and nothing more. I'm sure you know what I mean."

Kia's eyes opened in shock when he heard this, he had been too careless when he had killed that meerkat before. Now, this troublesome Shepherd knows certain things he shouldn't. However, he soon collected his thoughts and nodded in consent.

"Sure."

He quickly left right after, soon followed by Gero and Lanzo who were both a little confused by that short exchange. Though they were curious, they didn't ask as it wasn't their business.

When they left, the mansion was left in a dreary silence, Vizio glanced to her left where Takeshi sat. He rubbed his nose bridge, faintly unsettling the glasses that gently sat upon it. She smiled warmly at before it turned into a slight frown.

"Uh, Takeshi?"

"Mmmm?"

"Why are you wearing prescription glasses?" Vizio asked a question that has been on her mind ever since she arrived.

Of course, this was understandable, with the technology available to the world, even blindness could be corrected. Much less an imperfect vision? No one really wore glasses all that much unless it was for fashion, and those weren't Takeshi's style. So why was he wearing prescription glasses, to begin with?

"This," Takeshi's demeanour changed drastically, becoming more severe, the atmosphere heavy, "These glasses…" Vizio held her breath, what secrets could these glasses hold? She waited patiently for him to finish.

"They make me look cool…"

"Eh?!" Steam rose from Vizio's head as she tried to rationalise what Takeshi just said. Was this the same man that remained indifferent to everything, and spoke only when it made sense to do so?

"Don't think about it, just keep an eye and make sure they reach home safely. I don't want to take any chances." He didn't feel any different about he just said. Still, he changed the subject as he gave her this request.

Oh? And what reward will I get for this request?" She asked as she looked at him seductively, forgetting about his earlier break of character.

"What do you want?" His expression as unchanging as ever, his countenance glacial.

Undeterred, she continued with that flirtatious smile, "You know."

He looked away from her eyes as he stared to the side, a short time passed before he responded to her, "…Fine."

"Hehehe, then consider it done." She flew right over to him and landed a peck on his cheek before she took off in a hurry. In deep anticipation for her reward later tonight.

'Sighs.'

"That woman, she never gave up on me…she truly is a lion." He retreated into the deeper recesses of his mansion to put into motion certain plans.