From the Chronicles Saga of what Soma had read, Mark was once an orphan without any shy background; he was just a run-of-the-mill person who, luckily, received the system to fight those monsters that threatened humanity.


    One of the things traits that Mark had that could make him enter the prestigious academy was a tenacious andpetitive heart; he got epted into the academy and underwent his first-year studies before everything changed as Gary Thompson easily beat him in one of the P.E. sses.


    These two werepletely different when Mark came from an ordinary lineage; Gary came from a golden lineage in which his father and mother were the people who ran one of the guilds in America.


    With his tenacious trait, Mark kept training hard, and eventually, he had the chance to challenge Gary again in the tournament the academy held every year to test their students'' growth. It also became one of the events for many guilds from all over the world to scout for hidden gems.


    The date came, but Mark was brutally defeated by Gary, who always had a pair of cold gazes on him, looking down on Mark''s lying body. After once again he faced the wall that he couldn''t break, his tenacious heart changed into resentment, and hispetitiveness turned into envy.


    Everyone around them recognized from seeing his zing eyes filled with hatred. But no one dared to point it out as Mark was always brushing past the question that was thrown at him with a frown.


    Then, on the winter holiday, Mark, who got a chance to visit his homnd and return to the academy, became a different person. Mark, who was once a hot-blooded,petitive person, now bes quiet and shows confidence in his walk.


    From there, his tale soared. He shows an outstanding growth that makes everyone wonder just how much growth he is undergoing when on holiday, until he manages to achieve the seat of bing one of the captains from one of the teams that led an expedition toward the deepest dungeon.


    Currently, he is facing Soma with his calm and probing gaze as he is caught off guard after Soma blurted about the ne circling his neck.


    "Excuse me?".


    "I happen to like essories like you. You see".


    Soma shows the ne around his neck, which he took a moment ago; he shed his white teeth to make the other person have no any weird tension.


    Serafina and Lucy, unaware of the situation from Soma''s perspective, tilted their heads because it was the first time they saw Soma wearing essories.


    As much as they want to retort about Soma, he is being unreasonable to prolong their discussion. Lucy tries to intervene, but faster than the wind, Hina taps Lucy''s shoulder, turning Lucy''s attention to her.


    With a silly smile, Hina ced her index finger to her lips and made Lucy more dumbfounded than ever.


    Serafina, who is already being interfered with by Xiao Lian, notices something is not right based on her juniors'' attitude. Then she recalled something a moment ago that Xiao Lian weirdly tensed her whole body despite it being just a meeting for a report. At first, Serafina thought that Xiao Lian was nervous in this ce, but there seemed to be something else in y, which is one thing.


    She turned her attention and saw Soma, with his fake smile, asking something from Mark, a person who holds a certain name in the academy.


    "Can you show it to me?".


    Soma, with his unbreakable smile, kept pestering Mark to show his ne, which made the person in mention knit his brows in wonder.


    Mark had never seen the boy before him, and he assumed that he was just a first-year student. The moment Mark intended to open his mouth, the girls who stood behind him red at Soma''s side and started to spit venom at him.


    "Silence, first-year!".


    "Yeah, big sis is right. Don''t you dare interrupt Mark in his report. Who are you anyway?".


    The first girl who spit at him with calm intensity, she was the big sister named Ca. She had a cute, stiff face, shoulder-length brown hair, sharp eyes, and brown pupils. She was wearing the academy uniform and standing straight behind Mark, filled with confidence like an assistant.


    As for the other one, she had the same cute but lively girl with rounded eyes and brows pupils. Wearing the same uniform but a bit sloppy dressed, with her long, wavy brown hair, she red at Soma. Her name is Liliru, the little sister, and from their face, one could tell that they were twins; they always followed Mark from behind, like worshiping him.


    "...No, I''m just asking. Why are you guys so mad? Besides, who I''m talking about is Senior Mark, not you guys. Don''t interrupt when someone else talks".


    "...!".


    "How dare you!".


    "Rx, Ca and Liliru, our Junior is right; he must be interested in the ne on my neck. If you don''t mind, can I know your name, Junior?".


    Soma, who got thrown a straight fast, lightly paused as he pondered what he should answer, but eventually, he answered.


    "...Soma, First-year student".


    The moment that name was spoken, Soma didn''t see any ripple around their eyes, which meant they clearly had no information regarding Soma.


    "I see, Soma. You probably already knew my name, but I am pleased to meet you. My name is Mark, and about the thing you asked, I don''t mind it here. You can have a look".


    Mark begins to tuck his thumb finger into his cor and shows the ne to the outside world. It has a silver chain and a tiny ck gem embedded in it as its head.


    "How was it? Are you satisfied?".


    "Can I see it closer?".


    "I''m pretty sure we are already in close distance from each other."


    "No, what I mean is, can I hold it? I want to feel the material and see the gems that look beautifully crafted with a dexterous hand".


    [Extra Skill Puppeteer activated]


    Soma stood up from his seat and intended to approach their side for Mark who was hesitating to remove the ne around his neck.


    "Don''t move, first-year!".


    "You ungrateful brat, Mark was already willing to show you the ne, but how can you be so greedy."


    Ca and Liliru cast her mana around their body simultaneously and slightly, the atmosphere in the room tensed and the other party behind Soma, mainly Hina and Xiao Lian ready to summon their weapon any time if things start escting further.


    "Both of you stop!".


    However, a clear, chime voice echoed inside the room with its calming light that brightened the interior prior to Lucy releasing one of her magic.


    "Soma, you sat back in your seat, and Senior Mark, I apologize for the difort. Let us discuss the report, shall we?".


    "Yeah, that might be wise; I''m sorry, Soma. But the president had called. So, I have to do my job as a messenger".


    Despite the twins'' warning, Lucy and Mark''s voice, who thought this deal was over, saw Soma still standing in his ce, not having any thought to back off.


    Soma kept his gaze toward Mark and his two women behind him. He was in deep thought, nning something that could bait them to reveal their actual appearance.


    "Soma, what are you doing? Please hurry up and sit!".


    Lucy''s voice, heard as a warning, was brushed past by Soma''s current indifferent attitude toward his surroundings and only focused on Mark''s group. Soma began to recall the story and soon found the clue he wanted.


    "Soma, sit down!".


    "How was that Brain Rot Ira, who knows only to destroy things, recently? Has he taken his medicine and be much more clever?".