欲望酒店

July 20, 2080, Monday.

Outside the [Labyrinth of the Nurturer].

Or to be accurate, Inside of [CLASS A-1]'s classroom...

"They're supposed to come out of the labyrinth today right?"

"Yeah, seems like they also reached and killed the boss monster."

2 girls can be heard talking to each other, they are Trexiel and Joana.

The 2 of them are talking about Alec and the others...

"Amazing..."

"They cleared it in a week, even the tertiaries can't do something like that easily..."

Joana mumbled.

"It's all because he has Alec, Curtis, and Eve with him."

And Trexiel unhesitatingly stated!

"Huh? I think it's because of Blake, Adelle, and Aoi."

Joana voiced out her own opinion.

"Awakeners like them are much more helpful in this case after all."

Then she added.

"Aren't you guys forgetting about Raven?"

And that's when a boy approached them and asked that!

Joana and Trexiel looked at the boy with a frown.

And seeing them looking at him like that...

"He's strong."

The boy said that with a serious face!

Then...

"We know that."

"We're talking about who helped him the most in clearing the labyrinth."

Trexiel and Joana casually declared that after hearing his words!

"Eh?"

The boy was confused at what he just heard...

"I bet Raven can clear the labyrinth by himself."

"I agree."

"He's the strongest after all."

"That's right."

But Trexiel and Joana paid no attention and just continued praising Raven!

Actually, Trexiel and Joana are senior members of the [Black Feathers]!

(It's Raven's fan club that was created by Jeanna Avyl!)

If you're wondering how the others know that the group cleared the labyrinth... It's a dungeon owned by the Lunar, and they have a way to know when someone enters it, clears it, and exits it.

Anyway, conversations about Raven's and the others' return aren't just happening inside the classroom of [CLASS A-1].

It's currently the hottest topic in the Lunar Academy!

And the Headmaster, Leo Justo, was the one who let the students know about Raven's and the others' return!

Why? He just thought it would be interesting and there's really no harm in doing so.

As a result, anticipation and excitement for the group's return are spreading among the students of Lunar, especially the freshmen!

They can't wait to see what Raven and the others achieved in a week!

*****

The same day, after the classes...

A huge crowd gathered around the entrance of the [Labyrinth of the Nurturer]!

Most of them are students, be they freshmen, sophomores, or tertiaries!

There are even professors and staff in the crowd!

Murmurs can be heard anywhere, and the atmosphere is kinda tense!

Not all in the crowd support Raven and the others, some are just curious, some are just bored, and though few, some just hate Raven's guts!

Nevertheless, they're all waiting for the same thing...

Raven's and the others' return!

Of course, there are recognizable people among the crowd...

There's Jeanna Avyl, the founder of [Black Feathers].

Many members of the [Black Feathers] attended too.

There are also Branwen Asterope, Darci Haux, and Carey Ember, they're the heads of [Crimson Fala]*.

(It's a group that is on par with the student council, check ch.84 for more info.)

And of course, Lana Dennise, Lillen Florence, Cooper Garyes, and Cenric Kelton from the [Student Council] are there!

(Raven and the others are members of the student council, check ch.80 for more info.)

[CLASS A-1]'s homeroom professor, Kendy Nasah, is especially waiting for his students to come back!

(The Headmaster forced him to...)

...

...

Anyway, a few meters away from the crowd...

"There's a lot of people here..."

"Yeah, this is kinda unexpected."

Ruby and Keara are together and are dumbfoundedly looking at the huge amount of people in the area!

-I wonder what face Raven will make after seeing this situation, hehe...

Levina then said and laughed a little, she's in her spirit form and is hiding inside Ruby's top.

"I bet he'll be annoyed."

"Yeah, he really doesn't like this kind of situation."

""Hahaha""

Ruby and Keara laughed as they imagine Raven frowning.

But then...

"I really miss him..."

"It was only for a week, but it felt months for me..."

Keara suddenly mumbled in a rather down tone.

"I kinda feel the same, it just feels wrong without him."

-Yeah, food taste so much better when eating with him...

And Ruby and Levina followed...

After hearing their words, Keara looked down.

'I'm happy to know that they care for Raven in a similar way that I do...'

Then she thought while hiding a small cute smile from Ruby and Levina.

Though, just seconds after, she turned to Ruby.

"Are you sure it's okay for us to wait here instead of working?"

Then she asked worriedly.

After hearing her voice, Ruby momentarily looked at Keara...

Then she looked back at the entrance of the [Labyrinth of the Nurturer].

"I wasn't there when he left..."

"So I at least want to welcome him back."

Then Ruby bashfully mumbled!

She's keeping a straight face, but you can see her blushing a little!

And seeing Ruby like that...

'Cute... She must've been lonely just like me.'

Keara thought that and smiled.

-Arghh, I want to taste Raven's cooking again!

Levina then declared all of a sudden.

SWOOSH~

And that's when the cave-like entrance of the [Labyrinth of the Nurturer] glowed brightly!

Catching everyone's attention!

Then not long after...

PSSH– Ziiiiiiig-

A portal appeared!

This means that someone inside the dungeon entered the exit portal that appears after killing the boss monster and they are now being teleported back to the very entrance of the dungeon!

(Most dungeons have this function, but not all...)

Anyway, seeing the portal appeared silenced everyone!

They all moved their gazes to that said portal without the intention to look away even for a moment!

Tap-

Tap-

Tap-

And soon they heard footsteps!

But as soon as that happened...

"Those fucking freshmen, making a scene for just clearing this worthless dungeon."

"I don't really like them since I saw them, especially that one with a relationship with Professor Ruby."

"Me too, he acts like he owns the world."

(Technically, he does.)

People who have negative feelings for Raven and the others started to voice out their hate for the group.

Most of them are sophomores and tertiaries, they just feel jealous of the attention the group is getting even though they're a grade lower than them.

So they just came to somehow ruin everything and play pranks.

"When they come out, I'mma trip one of them using magic."

"Good idea, then I'll blind them so they don't notice what got them."

As the bastards were forming a plan to fuck up Raven and the others...

Tap—

A foot stepped out from the portal, and the sound of it hitting the ground echoed throughout the area and completely silenced everyone.

Thump- Thump- Thump-

Everyone heard their own heartbeats for some reason.

The air became tense...

Sweats started forming on the students' foreheads, and as time passed by, it was getting harder to breathe...

But they just ignored it as they thought they were just nervous and excited to see who was coming out first.

Tap-

And that's when the owner of the foot completely came out of the portal.

A young man with black hair and an amazing figure was exposed to everyone's eyes.

He was looking down, but everyone there knows who it was just from a single glance...

It was Raven.

The students were about to cheer for Raven's return and applaud him.

While the bastards were about to commence their plans to fuck up Raven.

But then...

Fwi-

Raven looked straight ahead...

And his face became visible to everyone.

And as soon as everyone looked at his eyes...

SWOOOOOOOHHH—

A strong dominating aura coming from Raven pressed down on them!

""Keuk?!""

""Argh?!""

"Krghhh..."

Those who are nearest to Raven immediately grabbed their chest and desperately grasped for air!

And not long after, they were all forced to kneel on one knee and bow their heads down, not daring to look back up at Raven again!

Those bastards who have ill intentions toward Raven got attacked by his dominating aura more, and most of them passed out seconds only after looking at Raven's eyes!

Those who didn't pass out though can't move at all or even think to do anything to Raven!

It might be obvious now, but the skill of Raven that was maxed out...

Was the <Monarch's Presence>!

"What the... Why are there so many people here?"

Raven mumbled.

Then he looked around for a second...

"What a weird way to welcome someone."

Raven said while looking down at so many people kneeling in front of him.