As Niah and Hulio bickered about 'Shiro Oni' and the student council, Enzo was forced to participate in their talk because he was sitting near them. Meanwhile, Zio was staring at the student council group, particularly at the red-haired girl, Ember.

Since his encounter with the Phoenix and the information he got from it, whether it was true or not, he would constantly look at Ember from afar, seemingly could not stopping to think about what the Phoenix was saying.

Though he didn't get approval from the Phoenix when he asked for her identity was Ember from another timeline, he was half sure that it was Ember because of the flames and the Phoenix's human made-of-flame figure that resembled Ember, especially the flowing flame that was supposed to be the hair was similar.

But, if he wanted to know the actual truth, he needed to wait for the Phoenix's next rebirth.

That was why he entrusted the Phoenix's ash egg to Chrysalis Guild, precisely Neychta. Neychta's cold-blooded and cruel character was the main reason why Zio entrusted the egg to her.

To her enemies, Neychta was seen as the Grim Reaper. But, she was a Loyal Guardian Angel to her friends and companions alike.

The fact that Neychta considered Zio or precisely Ian as her guild's honorary member, meant that she had held Ian's trust and expected him to do so too.

As he kept on staring at Ember, their eyes eventually made contact.historical

Noticing Zio's gaze was directed at her, Ember arched a brow for a while before her eyes smiling yet her lips unmoving. She took out candy from her flap pocket, unwrapping and munching on the candy while looking at Bianca.

'Oh right.'

As soon as Zio glimpsed at the candy, he remembered that he wasn't yet consuming it today.

Before he ate the candy, he looked at the time on his Nova Watch.

It was 1 PM.

'I'm not sure exactly when I ate this last night, so it's better to do it earlier than later.'

He made a mental note to eat the candy every 24 hours as he unwrapped the candy and ate it. His mind was immediately at ease.

'The sensation I feel when the effect spreads never gets old..'

As he indulged in the soothing sensation given by the Serenity Candy, Niah called out to him.

"Zio."

However, her voice seemed to not reach him.

"Zio!"

Even when she raised her voice a bit higher, it still didn't make him respond. So, Niah walked toward him and tried to surprise him.

But Zio didn't let her have the chance to surprise him.

The moment Niah got closer to Zio, her presence and intention was detected as a danger by Zio's Clairvoyance, giving him a sight of the future.

"Don't even try to surprise me, it won't work."

Said Zio, his attention fixed on the group of the student council, this time looking at the senior student, Bianca, and Draco class combat's instructor, Clara.

He attempted to guess what they were talking about by reading their lip movements. But, no matter how good his skill in reading people's gestures and expressions, lip reading was still too difficult for him.

"What are you looking at?"

Niah settled beside him, following his gaze with her own eyes. Her eyes flashed with recognition as she found Bianca on the other side.

"Ah! It's senior Bianca, the leader of the student council."

Niah exclaimed with a bright tone.

Glancing to her left, she found Zio whose attention was unbroken even as people passed by, occasionally blocking his view of Bianca.

Niah observed Zio with her hand on her chin. After a moment, the corner of her mouth perked up slightly, forming a naughty smile.

"Hey, Zio. Are you falling in love with senior Bianca right now?"

"No."

Zio replied almost immediately without sparing Niah a glance.

Niah turned back to see the group of the student council. As she scoured through the dozen of students, she eventually noticed Ember at the back row, seemingly munching on something.

Looking at Zio and Ember back and forth, she found out that Zio was also eating something.

Obviously, that made her curious, and wanted to tease her group's leader who always could find a way to compose himself and looked like he knew everything.

"Oh ho~"

Her mischievous smile widened.

"Perhaps it's not Bianca, but Ember?!"

Zio still ignored her, yet as soon as he noticed the talk between Bianca and Instructor Clara seemingly came to an end, he sighed, getting up from the bench.

"Hey, wait! Where are you going? You owe me an answer!"

Glancing at Niah, Zio smiled like a fox.

Niah suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine as she caught a glimpse of Zio's smile. She knew that whenever a fox-like smile appeared on Zio's face, it meant he had something up his sleeve, and it usually wasn't a good thing.

"The instructors are about to end the class soon. I'm going to explore the city. Do you want to tag along?"

"Ahahaha.. no, no thank you, I have to pack my stuff for the winter holiday.."

She smiled sheepishly while raising both her hands at eye level as she replied.

"..."

"..."

"Well, then, see you later."

"Yeah, haha.."

Just as Zio said, after Instructor Clara had finished her conversation with Bianca, she and the three other instructors dismissed the class, giving the students an assignment to learn the fundamentals of unarmed combat.

"Don't think to take it easy even if you're on holiday. As soon as the school started again after the new year, we'll do a test of your fundamentals."

After giving the last speech, the instructors disappeared behind the exit door.

Some students were leaving the building, some were continuing with their training as they didn't really have things to do.

Lux and Ayano practiced together. Seo Yeong-Ha was drinking cola from the vending machine. Leonardo seemed to have his eyes locked on Seo Yeong-Ha. Ember and the student council members left the building.

Meanwhile, Zio was walking alone, buying a drink from the vending machine outside the building.

Beep—!

As he took the drink coming out from the machine, someone already standing in front of him, wearing a smile.

"Do you have time?"