"Do you all find it strange that I would do this?" Flanders scanned the students whose gazes were fixed on Oscar's retreating back. The smile on his face vanished, and the kind, approachable demeanor was instantly replaced by an unnerving aura that was almost frightening.
"It's because lies have a price," his gaze settled on Ning Rongrong. "No matter the reason behind a lie, once it's told, a fitting punishment must be met. Wouldn't you agree, Rongrong?"
Flanders suddenly calling Ning Rongrong's name startled her. She instinctively let out a "Ah?" and looked at Flanders, who stood with his hands behind his back, facing her directly. "Tell me, did you complete the task I assigned this noon?"
Ning Rongrong met his sharp gaze, which seemed capable of seeing through her. She pursed her lips, turned her head away, avoiding Flanders' eyes, and said, "No, I didn't."
"Why?"
A hint of shame and anger welled up within Ning Rongrong. But considering he was still her instructor in his current guise, she suppressed the shame of being exposed and spoke rapidly, "Because the distance was too long, and I was hungry. I couldn't keep going."
"So you went into town alone to have a big meal and go shopping, and only just returned to find Oscar, right?"
Flanders watched the young girl's defiant posture as she turned away, a cold smile playing in his mind. *I've been around for so many years, and I can't even handle a little girl like you?*
Hearing Flanders' words, Ning Rongrong's timid and guilty demeanor instantly shifted. Displeasure flickered in her eyes. "Were you spying on me?"
Flanders replied indifferently, "As Dean, I am responsible for every student. Oscar's lie out of fear of you being punished is understandable. Tang Sui didn't complete it due to her physical condition; she reached her limit and collapsed after the tenth lap. Another teacher, Teacher Li, carried her back, and she only woke up a short while ago."
Upon hearing this, everyone, except for Tang San and Xiao Wu, turned their gaze towards Tang Sui again.
They found it hard to imagine that Tang Sui, with her Soul Elder strength, had collapsed without even completing ten laps.
This...
Feeling the scrutiny of others, Tang Sui's eyelashes drooped, partially concealing the dimness in her eyes.
"As for you, you disobeyed the academy's arrangements, ran away without permission, and even had your senior cover for you. Any one of these mistakes, if committed on the battlefield, would be a violation of military law, punishable by death." As he spoke the last word, Flanders' expression turned stern, his voice laced with a chilling and deadly tone. The pampered young lady, accustomed to a life of comfort and indulgence, was instantly frightened.
But she quickly regained her composure. The softness on her face vanished, replaced by an air of noble pride and arrogance. Her eyes were tinged with the self-importance and disdain of a great family. "But this isn't a battlefield; it's just a small academy."
"Indeed." Flanders' tone remained steady, like an old dog, yet with a hint of menace, as he watched Ning Rongrong, who could no longer contain her temper. "But this is my Shrek Academy, and it's on my grounds."
"What do you want?" Ning Rongrong's eyes showed a flicker of coldness and disdain.
Flanders chuckled and presented Ning Rongrong with two options: "Now, I give you two paths. One, pack your things and leave immediately. Two, prove to me that you are determined not to make such mistakes again."
The conditions Flanders offered were not excessive for a student. In fact, they provided a step down for her to acknowledge her mistake and correct it, requiring only for her to take that step.
However, Ning Rongrong did not see it that way.
Born into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and pampered since childhood, even beneath her veneer of gentleness, she was inherently proud. Thus, she could not bow down to a "mere" Soul Saint Dean.
Arguments and friction were thus inevitable.
But in the face of Ning Rongrong's arrogance, Flanders countered every point without changing his expression.
*So what if you are the proud daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? If you come to my Shrek Academy, you must abide by my academy's rules! And I will certainly not coddle you.*
Seeing Ning Rongrong disdainfully utter, "You are just a mere Soul Saint; what right do you have to control me?" Tang Sui, taking in the stunned expressions of the others, felt some of her pent-up frustration dissipate with this farce. Yet, it also amplified her longing... for a healthy body.
Ignoring the voices around her, Tang Sui lowered her head, gazing at the gravel on the ground, a resolute glint in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Flanders had pulled Zhu Zhuqing aside, asking her why she came to the academy.
Zhu Zhuqing looked straight ahead, her voice calm and firm, "To become stronger."
Flanders' eyes showed a flicker of satisfaction as he looked at the composed Zhu Zhuqing. He then turned to Tang Sui, who was staring at the ground, lost in thought, and raised his voice slightly:
"Tang Sui, you tell her too. What is your reason for coming to Shrek Academy?"
Called upon, Tang Sui paused, then looked up. Her clear blue eyes shimmered with a faint light, like stars falling into a tranquil lake, causing the placid surface to ripple with waves. She looked so beautiful, as if she were radiating light—
"To survive."
The young girl said with a resonant voice. Though it was dusk, she shone as brightly as a small sun.
— Author's Note —
Yesterday, I was in a race against time to finish a group project and submit it. I forgot to post the author's note, but thankfully, the feedback this morning was that it passed. I'm now on the high-speed train home. Today will still be two updates, as I'll probably get home around ten. I'll make up for it with four updates tomorrow!